Shattered
by Serenity of Suffering
Summary: Disheartened after Team 7's failure to reseal Kaguya, Sakura is forced back into the past during the Era of Warring States. Shuffled between feuding clans, threatened by everyone passing by, and haunted by the deaths of the 4th Shinobi War, Sakura struggles to adapt to her 'new' life and whether or not she should change the events that catalyzed the start of the War.
1. Defeat

_The mist in the air from the water crashing on the rocks was thick. The sky was grey and still, waiting for the heavens. Not a single sound could be heard other than the waterfall and the calls of large birds flying over._

_Sakura stood upon a stone in the middle of the Valley, which had not changed much since she last saw it. Well, it would not change until she last saw it. Time travel was a rather complicated thing. Her gaze pointed somberly down. It had been a few weeks since...no, perhaps a few months? Sakura could not remember how long it had been (to her) since Kaguya had won the so called 4th 'Shinobi' world war. As if to say that the only belligerents were they the Shinobi, and that they could even stand toe to toe with ghastly foes such as Madara Uchiha and Kaguya Otsutsuki. Could it be called war when it was so clearly a slaughter? Their chakra ripped from their bodies and absorbed into the abominable tree of life only to morph into those plant looking creatures called Zetsu? Was such a sight honorable in the least?_

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><p>Sakura had been so foolishly hopeful. The tides seemed to have turned when she and Obito finally managed to retrieve Sasuke from the desert realm created by the Rabbit Goddess. Naruto and Sasuke could seal her into the moon again, or were at least in a position to do so. However, upon their return to the ice dimension the group was again teleported to a different dimension with crushing gravity that practically flattened Sakura to the ground.<p>

So when Kaguya had shot a jagged spear like object, perhaps bones, from her palms towards them, the increased force of gravity made it difficult to dodge. Was that all it was going to take? A measly shot to her teammates to bring about the end of the world? Sakura saw the fear and realization in their eyes as the bones flew towards them.

In an desperate effort, Sakura attempted to throw her body in front of one of them, Sasuke was the closest. However, the pressure pushing down was too great and her body collapsed as soon as she attempted to lift it.

"Sasuke-kun!"She left out a short sigh of relief when both Naruto and Sasuke managed to dodge the attack. The bones would not have reached their intended targets anyway, as the dimension also had an effect on them and they fell in an arch towards the ground. "Something tells me we won't be so lucky next time," she grumbled out.

Moments later she was proven right, as the Mother of the Rikudo Sennin said something about adjusting so that her jutsu would work the next time. Kaguya launched the bones again. Kakashi and Obito had been prepared though, running to use themselves as human shields for the boys. Kakashi had gotten their just in time to keep the bone from Sasuke, while a chakra exhausted Obito—who had used every fiber of his being to retrieve Sasuke, whose eyes bleed from the overuse of his Sharingan—did not. His knees buckled, and he fell forward with his hand stretched toward the boy so like his younger self, who kept his dream alive. With a last ditch effort, the elder Uchiha used Kamui to send away the bone launched at Naruto.

She could do nothing but watch in sheer horror as her sensei fell backwards, the skin and clothes near the wound flaking off and disintegrating into dust. Of course, Naruto should have been saved (as only both the Yin and Yang chakra of the Sage of Six paths could reseal the Juubi,) it did not cease the wave of grief that washed over her.

However, their was little time to truly accept his death, as Kaguya used the jutsu for a third time. She looked towards her childhood crush, the avenger, the rouge-nin, the man who she still loved so deeply. Could he use his rinnegan again? She shook her head and heaved her body towards him, ignoring the crushing pain on her back and legs. Just like Obito however, she too had already used up most of her already small reserves. Sakura doubled over, but continued to crawl the small distance to be in front of Sasuke. Obito, still collapsed on the dirt, attempted to use Kamui again on Naruto, but his efforts only resulted in a gush of red leaking from his eye socket. Sakura's fingers bled as she used her nails and palms to drag her body in front of the younger Uchiha, but was shocked and startled to hear and feel the bone fly past her, nearly touching her face.

There was a slight gurgle from Naruto as the bone hit his right shoulder, his eyes wide and innocent. He couldn't turn his head to gaze upon his teammates, but instead a small yet sad smile formed on his lips." Sakura-chan...Sasuke-teme...I'm glad we got to be Team 7 again...at least one more time."

Sakura could not stop the tears from falling. The lovable idiot who she had hated became a light that helped lead her through the darkness that came with the grief of Sasuke's betrayal. In a world that was so cruel, Naruto Uzumaki was the hope that caused life to bloom. And his death had only made the situation darker. Maybe Madara and Obito were right, the world could not change, not as long as those that hoped to do so were outnumbered by those who followed tradition. True happiness, for everyone, was a false reality. But could they not at least indulge themselves in that false reality, to pretend that it existed? To live with the notion that life was peaceful, at least until they died? How had an intention to bring this peace become the world's darkness?

"Sakura! Did you hear what I said? Grab this!" She flinched at the harsh voice, which still sounded somewhat hopeful. They could not save the world without Naruto, there couldn't possibly be any hope left. Obito had chucked a scroll her way, though. With an uninterested look, she looked down and saw a complicated seal. "What are you waiting for? Release it!" he said as he coughed up blood.

The black plant like creature hidding in Kaguya's sleeve chuckled." Really Obito? You've been hiding things from us...Mother, don't kill him just yet. I want him to realize what a fool he is. What a failure he is. You were always a tool to us, even more so replaceable than Madara." He laughed with a deep baritone voice, much to the anger of Sakura as he looked right at her." Go ahead, go ahead! Use it! Oh, too bad you're out of chakra-"

"I'm not," a familiar voice from behind Sakura interrupted. She couldn't be relieved, there was no way to win this fight, but it was nice to hear Sasuke's voice none the less. He crouched down next to her and gripped her chin with one hand, probably trying to get her attention, forming the necessary seals with the other. "I don't know what this does, but its not like we have anything to lose."

Black Zetsu's smug face fell."Get them, Mother!"

The Rabbit Goddess glared down at the two, rushing towards them with her hands extended ready to crush their skulls. Sasuke had already finished the necessary hand signs though, producing a puff of smoke, blinding light, and a loud screeching sound.

Sakura was overcome with a dizzy sensation, shutting her eyes tightly. The pain was too much, as the young kunoichi grabbed her head and fell over to the ground, letting death overcome her.

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><p>She groaned as someone nudged her side not with enough power to hurt her, but not gentle either."Go away, Naruto!" The nudge came again, this time Sakura attempting to push away the offending object with her hand." Naruto, if you do that one more time, I'm going to knock the living daylights out of you!"<p>

"Who is this Naruto you speak of? Is he your accomplice?" At this, Sakura's eyes opened suddenly, only to find three men dressed in clothes similar to what the Hyuuga wore when they were in the village. These men even wore their hair like the Hyuuga, long and straight. Only when Sakura spit the grass out of her mouth and looked up at the men did she realize. Of course, their eyes were pale and the veins surrounding them enlarged. The Byakugan. The one in the middle, probably the one who had kept nudging her, yelled at her again."Answer me, wench!"

She jumped from the volume and tone of the command. _Wench? Really?_ What was this, some reenactment of old era civilization, where there had been clans and most women were not shinobi? Had the battle been a dream? Had they won? In order to appease the man still waiting for an answer, she looked at him with a determined look as to show him that she would not be talked to like that." Naruto is my friend. Accomplice? I have not committed a crime."

The shorter one on her left scoffed and pointed a clean, slender finger at her." You're on the Hyuuga Clan's land. And since you're not a Hyuuga, obviously, you are indeed committing a crime." The one on the right gave him a pointed look, and they had a silent exchange."Well, you're mostly on the clan's land. Several kilometers West is free territory."

Sakura sat up and took a quick look around at the familiar thick forest surrounding them. With a raised eyebrow, she inquired,"Is this not Konoha?" At their puzzled looks, the kunoichi frowned. "You know, Konohagakure? The Land of Fire?"

They looked at each other, and then shortie whispered to the other."This pink wench must be slow. There's is no possibility that she could do anything malicious with an intellect like that, let's just sell her to the Remikuri. They're always looking for servants and maidens of pleasure." Her body stiffened at this, prepared to fight the Byakugan wielding shinobi.

The one on the right shook, whose cheeks were puffed out like a chipmunk with its mouth full, shook his head. "No, no one can be this stupid. It could be an act of hers in an attempt to deceive us and steal our kekkei genkai." Sakura sent daggers toward the man, focusing chakra in her hand in preparation to punch the rude ass.

The leader sighed, and cupped his chin in contemplation."Yes, that is possible. But we're Hyuuga. And Hyuuga do not kill women unless necessary. How undignified would it be if we were to kill this poor women without proof? That's something the Uchiha would do. Hmm..."

What the hell was going on here? They must be the insane ones, saying they do not know of the Village Hidden in the Leaves! But, as much as she wished to deny it, Sakura could see the difference in the style of their clothing, even minute differences. The manner in which they carried themselves and spoke was certainly old fashioned, the way the Third had sometimes spoke, but even more archaic.

Recalling the events before she had black out, Sakura pondered as to whether or not the scroll Obito had given her had...no, that was rather impossible. Why had he not used such a jutsu, then, before they were so desparate? They could have sent Naruto and Sasuke, or even Kakashi-Sensei. Yet, he had waited until their last option was Sakura and Sasuke. Was he here too? Perhaps they had been separated into different regions. And why had he chosen the Era of the Clans as the opportune time to visit and change?

"Renjiro-sama, why cannot we not just escort and leave her _in_ the Uchiha domain? They will..." the chubby cheeked one looked at her and carefully chose his words as not to get a rise out of her."...dispose of her. We will not have harmed a woman, and she will no longer be our concern."

Sakura stood up, flashed a kunai and slowly backed away from them." I'll leave your territory if you agree to _not_ do that." The last thing she needed at this point was to further complicate things by encountering another clan, especially the Uchiha. Even though unsure of how far back she had been sent, if she indeed had been sent back, the pinkette had a strong feeling that a _certain_ Uchiha would be there as well.

Renjiro smiled and ignored her however." Good idea, Takeshi-san. Restrain her." The two on her sides lept towards her with an admirable amount of speed, but such that paled in comparison to the speed of those she had seen in her last battle. Lacing her leg with chakra, Sakura kicked the man on the left, which he had foolishly decided to block. The arm he had chosen probably shattered with such force. Takeshi, using the gentle fist style so commonly associated with the Hyuuga, dodge her fist, maneuvering around her back to strike a chakra point located on her shoulder blade.

The kunoichi hissed in irritation before attempting to kick the man. The Hyuuga had learned from witnessing his partner however, that while her punches and kicks were quite powerful, they were too slow and obvious to hit their intended target. Takeshi grinned as he simply tilted his head to the side, as he struck another two chakra points on her other arm, leaving her unable to manipulate chakra into them. "You're very predictable, wench. Shinobi or not, it is clear you lack the skill and discipline to ward off anyone, let alone a Hyuuga." He stopped though, as Sakura's kick hit the ground and caused it to crack.

The two looked somewhat shocked as Sakura grinned. _Arrogant asses, they shouldn't_..._wait, two? Where the hell did the other one—_Sakura gasped as she felt arms snaked around her and grip tightly. She struggled against the man as Renjiro and Takeshi stalked towards her with rope.

"Please, as if a little rope is going to-" She stopped and lurched forward as Renjiro hit her in the head to silence her.

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><p>I'll be seeing ya! Please review.<p>

Serenity of Suffering


	2. Survival

Thank you for the reviews, my lovelies! (LChan3706, Jpug, Guest 1, Guest 2, Joy, Angel897, and fandomizer)

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><p>The sky was dark, and the forest was silent. After waking up in the familiar yet strange forest, again, Sakura was relieved to have found her chakra fully restored this time. Had the Hyuuga left her in the Uchiha territory as they said they would? Remembering those unique white eyes, the girl flinched as if she had been struck. Those pure white eyes that she had gazed into before the scroll had sent her into a chaotic cluster. She looked around, though movement was limited as she was lying on her side on the pine floor, her ankles and wrists tied together with a thick rope.<p>

The sight of the shinobi from before made her want to groan. It would have been easier if she had woken up after they abandoned her in some territory like a giant roasted pig on a silver platter.

She rolled her eyes at such a method as tying her up. They could have suppressed her chakra with a seal, surely. And since they were likely to not forget it, Sakura chalked that up to them underestimating her abilities. _As if a stupid piece of rope could hold back **any** shinobi. Even if a complicated knot was used, I should be able to break out of it, or at least burn it off with my chakra._ As the kunoichi pulled at her restraints, she found that breaking the rope would not be as easy as she thought. The rope pulled even tighter against the bare flesh, drawing raw marks along her limbs. Lightly focusing chakra as to not arouse attention, Sakura burnt the rope and looked back towards the two men, the third must have went back to the clan territory. They were still deeply engaged in their discussion. Still facing them, she stealthily backed away from them and retreated to the darkness that surrounded them and the small fire the Hyuugas had created.

_Running is an option, but their likely to catch up with me if they notice I'm gone. I have to do something quick._ Making her decision, Sakura lunged for that Takeshi, the man who even had the gall to suggest selling her as some whore. The time learning under Tsunade proved beneficial, although Sakura did not typically use medical ninjutsu as an offensive skill.

Darting between the two and surprising them, she struck the chest area with her palm and disrupted the flow of chakra and the contraction of the heart, causing it to violently and dangerously contract. The sudden change in blood pressure ruptured his arteries, Sakura imagined. The aneurysms would surely kill him almost immediately, but for extra measure, she punched him in the gut and knocked the reserve oxygen out of his lungs.

"The hell-!" The leader, who hadn't attack Sakura yelled in surprise. His eyes narrowed as he started to form a seal. However, this was a fight for Sakura's survival, and she prayed for superior speed this time as she extended her index and middle finger to act as a chakra scalpel toward's the enemies carotid artery. He began to move back, but with an iron grip Sakura grabbed his hand. She applied a great amount of force, which served to both crush his phalange and metacarpal bones and to hold him in place as she slit his throat. Renjiro dropped, painting the bark dust a depressed red.

The Kunoichi took a few deep breaths. While both the kills hadn't taken much energy out of her, she had never actually killed anyone. She'd assisted in the defeat of Sasori, but ultimately it was Lady Chiyo who had delivered the fatal attack. All the progress made in two and a half years, while for the purpose of saving lives had saved her life, but at the expense of another. This consequence of course was in the job of an Ninja, an assassin for hire, but Sakura could not celebrate. Her first kill as a Shinobi in an era filled with many Kage level ninja, she supposed she should feel proud. But what pride was there to take in butchery?_  
><em>

If she was indeed in the time of Hashirama Senju before the consolidation of Konoha, what was her purpose here? Had Obito meant for her to stop whatever it is that caused Madara to become, for a lack of a better term, a psychopath? Time was a delicate thing, where changing anything in the past could have significant consequences. He hadn't given her the scroll only for the purpose of saving her life, Sakura knew that. Or, had he? Maybe she somehow reminded him of the Rin he mentioned during the war?

Regardless of the reason for her trip to the past, Sakura was stumbled on what she was to do now. The option of traveling as a nomad was possible, evident on the warm and chilling bodies currently laying under the clear night sky. That wasn't the most efficient or necessarily safe option, if she continued to encounter hostile shinobi on 'their clan territory,' but it was the easiest and most convenient. After all, was she to just ask another clan to take her and trust her? Absurd. And she refused to live as some common whore. Perhaps there was a merchant village nearby?

And, what of the scroll? Where was it? It could not have just up and disappeared. Sakura began to worry. What if she couldn't return back to her time? What if...?

Did it even matter? What did she have to go back to? Who? Naruto and Sasuke and Kakashi-sensei and Sai, Ino, Shikamaru, Chouji, Hinata, Kiba, Shino, Lee, Neji, Tenten and—everyone was...gone. The village, Tsunade-shishou, everything that made her life happy was gone. _And here I am, sent back to decide the fate of the entire world. I can't do it, I can't take it! It shouldn't have to be this way. It would be so much easier if the others were here to help me._

Sakura shook her head to reject the tears threatening to fall from her eyes. _They aren't, and nothing's going to change that_. _Here I am, feeling sorry for myself, when I have a mission to do! Get yourself together Sakura, its _your_ turn to save the Shinobi world!_

A loud thump caused her swiftly turn around and Sakura stumbled. The very air was dense with a chakra that felt so familiar that Sakura almost forgot to breathe. The place where she had been impaled in the chest throbbed, her body remembering the trauma it suffered. One does not forget such a presence. The chakra did not feel threatening, as it did before, but just...there. Some months earlier it would have been impossible to believe such a person existed—_if_ they were human. Such power could almost demand the same respect as a God. She tried not to let it overwhelm her, as Sakura gathered the bravery to look upon the madman who had been responsible for the death of many of her friends.

Only, it wasn't him. The man who stood in front her looked similar to Madara in many ways, though his skin was paler, hair lighter, eyebrows thinner, and frame smaller. His grayish black hair was also flat, unlike Madara's bluish black spiky hair. The man reminded her of Sasuke a little, though Sakura tried to ignore the tugging of her heart at the thought of the Avenger. He was young, perhaps in his early twenties or late teens. All things aside, he was definitely an Uchiha by the make of his red eyes with three blacks lines stretching from the pupil.

Those red eyes flicked to the cadavers on the ground, both still heavily bleeding. A few seconds later, his eyes sharply turned back to Sakura and looked her right in the eye. She cast her gaze away quickly and mentally prepared for _another_ battle. The sounds of steps filled the air, as he walked over to the bodies. _What is he doing?_ He turn the body over with his foot, as another man, aged and rugged, arrived in the area and gazed at her, but directed his question towards the Sasuke look-a-like. He had a long, deep scar across his jaw and leading up to his left eye."Are they prominent shinobi, Izuna-sama?"

Izuna hoisted the body of Renjiro over his shoulder. " Not in particular. But this one has a bounty on his head, and the other has killed plenty of our clansmen. It has been in our interest to see any of the Hyuuga dead, regardless."

"Their fellows will try to retrieve them," The man complained, perhaps because he did not want to carry Takeshi's body. Only five minutes had passed since his death, and it was already filling the air with rot. It must have not bothered him that much, though, as he bent over and searched the Hyuuga's body.

Sakura watched them cautiously, especially the one with the Mangekyo sharingan, and he watched her just as intently. However, the sight of the man holding something up attracted her attention away from Izuna ."This is a strange scroll. The seal is quite complicated, too complicated for the Hyuuga. Perhaps they stole it from the Uzumaki? Here, have a look." The scroll tossed into the air, their was no mistaking it; the infernal scroll that catalyzed this mess by sending her here.

He caught the scroll, "Let them come," and started walking back towards the way he came from, motioning for the other Uchiha to follow him. Passing by her, he gave Sakura a pointed look.

"Leave," he said with a blank tone.

The man holding the arm of Takeshi suddenly dropped him in anger. "What?! We cannot trust this girl to merely leave our lands, Izuna-sama. We must dispose of her or take her back for interrogation!" Sakura stiffened, but did not look towards him for fear of meeting his dojutsu. Her body screamed run, or fight, but running was not likely to produce desirable results. The chances of fighting seemed even worse, if this Izuna was a fraction of Madara's prowess. Besides, she needed that damn scroll!

"No. I said leave her." In a moment of foolishness and surprise, Sakura looked up to Izuna, only to find the bright red eyes of the other Uchiha boring into her own emerald eyes.

Sakura tried to move but couldn't. No, she couldn't even try. It was as if her body was frozen, unable to move anything, even her eyes. _Shit!__  
><em>

"We must protect the clan. You should agree with that, but if you're unable to make a reasonable decision, then I will make it for you." The bastard pulled a sword from the scabbard on his back with a cling, and swung it across it's reach in hopes of slicing her abdomen. Sakura would have closed her eyes, waiting for it to strike, but she couldn't move her eyelids and just watched, practically in slow motion as it came toward her.

A palm caught the blade midway in its path to Sakura's side. The force behind the slicing motion cut into the pale flesh of Izuna's palm, drawing blood. The man with long straight hair and angry eyes eased the pressure on the attack as soon as he saw who he had hit, but his taut expression contorted into displeasure.

"There doesn't need to be a death every time we see someone. I said to let her go." The Uchiha men glared at each other, or at least that's what Sakura assumed as Izuna's back was turned to her. _What the hell is going on here? Why did he stop him?_

The other man groaned."Yes, you're right. She doesn't not _need_ to be killed. But doing so is a precaution we must take!" The man looked over Izuna's shoulder and into her eyes, but the younger tossed his head to the same side.

"Precautionary? She's not a threat." There was a slight teasing attitude to his tone, and she imagined his eyes were playful.

The middle aged man scoffed. Sakura imagined he hated having to listen to someone half his age, his eyes showed the contempt he felt for the boy." No threat? This woman killed two Hyuuga! Even some of our men would have trouble with that, and she's just a wench. She could kill some of our best Shinobi. She is dangerous!" At this he began to apply force on the hilt of the sword again. This further agitated the wound on the palm holding back the sword from striking.

"Then why hasn't she killed you yet?" And with this Izuna lightly kicked the man a few meters back, his feet sliding against the ground in order to gain some traction and not fall. The elder looked enraged at this action, preparing to strike again. But Izuna held up the bloodied palm up in sign of stop." If you wish to take precaution, then fine. We'll take her to the Clan Head and hear his judgement. This will be a waste though. I'm sure my brother will side with me." The two relaxed at this. "Fine, you take the bodies." A small whine erupted from the elder''s mouth, making Sakura mentally smirk.

The younger turned to her and lifted her into his sturdy arms. _Can't they just release the jutsu? _But she guessed the man didn't want to be wrong in case she attacked him if it was released. _Please, just don't knock me out. I'm so tired of that._ As if he had read her mind, he looked down at her face for a small moment, observing her. Just as quickly, he turned his attention forward.

The look on his face was relaxed, giving his festures a distinctive beauty she hadn't seen in a long time. Despite their similarity he was nothing like the boy she knew now, all broken and twisted from the Uchiha massacre that left him confused and lost. The days when they were genin, taking on stupid D-ranked missions. After their mission in the Land of Waves, he actually looked quite happy. Well, happy in the Sasuke sort of way. And the happiness the three often shared, it had been the one thing she longed for at the end of the day, to see that happiness on those lonely faces. Even in the last moment...

Sakura looked up at the peaceful midnight sky, as she was forced to while the boy carried her with his left arm under knees and back against his right. It had been a while since the dark abyss had meant such that, as the dark skies during the war were quite ominous. A soft circle in the sky, white and bright loomed over them. The gentle and harshly cold breeze touched her face, but the warmth of the chest her head rested on remedied it enough to where the chill was bearable.

Although the thought of heading into another situation with a clan made Sakura want to groan, she recognized the opportunity it gave her to steal the scroll back and see if Obito had left any instructions for her or if the seal could be used again. Perhaps it would solve her housing issue as well, if the pinkette could get the Uchihas to trust her. After all, this man Izuna did.

Her head turned to a new angle by his movements, as she was now looking straight ahead. Between the thick foliage and large trees that reminded her of home, Sakura saw a large settlement dotted with large blue banisters embroidered with the red and white fan of the Uchiha clan. The buildings were spread out, a clear sign of lacking substancial urbanization. Though, one area with small buildings was quite compact. Most likely the local market.

Izuna dismissed the older man, telling him that he had taken his patrol duties with a great but unnecessary zeal. They walked toward the largest building on the compound, what she assumed to be the residence of the main house and family.

They went into a small room dimly lit with candles, where he set her carefully on the floor and against a wall. Taking a minute to observe her again, with his eyes still a blazing red, he again looked in her eyes. What was he seeing that interested him so? Was there something on her face? Sakura blushed under the intense gaze, just as any woman would have.

"I trust you'll stay here until the morning, when my aniki can see you and decide what to do with you. Rest assure, there is little possibility he will disagree with my views. You'll be free to go." As a second thought, he asked. "_Can_ I trust you?" As if she would say _no._ The kunoichi simply nodded her head, too stunned to reply with a vocal answer. So he had released the jutsu? "Good. No one will attack you inside these walls." Having seen the tattered state of her shirt, he promised to send someone with new clothes in the morning. The Uchiha turned and opened the door.

Then, her mouth wouldn't stop, having its own mind among the chaos of this night. "Wait." And he did so. "Why did you...?" To say 'save me' would give him the impression that Sakura was a damsel. The likelihood of him having this mentality was high, given the era they were in, but Sakura would not encourage such thoughts. "Why would you let me go?" Perhaps foolish of her to ask, but the curiosity had nagged at her ever since he had blocked the old man's attack. She had assumed the Uchiha would be violent and just as eager for battle as Madara, based on the testimony of the Hyuuga and the baffling chakra of Izuna. Although, that perception was probably a byproduct of trusting the pompous Renjiro in the first place.

A cryptic answer was what she expected. And it was what she received. "It would be a waste to kill you."

So? But she gave her bright smile anyway. "Thank you, Uchiha-san." Politeness never hurt did it? Hopefully it would reinforce his 'trust' in her and his idea that she was not a threat to him. Sakura had fought _the_ Madara Uchiha, so she was sure it would be the same situation if he suddenly decided to dispose of her. But the results of that fight were not in her favor.

"Good night, ah..." he left off with a questioning tone.

"Haruno Sakura," she sleepily offered before mental exhaustion claimed her attention.

"Mm. Goodnight, Haruno-san." Show could see his mouth slightly upturned. And with the soft sliding of the door, she shut her eyes, hoping to wake up from this dream. For it could not be anything but a dream, right?

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><p>I apologize. It appears that the first chapter was horridly edited, as I knew beforehand. But I didn't think it would be that bad. Yes, I know I said there wouldn't be an official update schedule, but my soft deadline is every Monday, early morning.<p>

The reviews I've received are touching. Therefore, I've adjusted chapter one slightly and took those comments into consideration for this chapter. So feel free to review!**  
><strong>

Ama aka. Serenity of Suffering.


	3. Hatred

Thank you for the reviews, follows, and favorites my darlings: fandomizer, LChan3076, cutehoney4, Guest 1 (Emma :) angel897, Guest 2 (Toni,) silverwolfigther00, Guest 3 (Lori,) Guest 4 (domo,) Guest 5 (hello,) Shadowlove'scookies, Guest 5.

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><p>When he'd heard the loud scream and came running to apprehend the intruder, he was surprised to see a small young woman with strange pink hair. It was impressive for a woman, he conceded. When they made eye contact he was worried he'd frighten her enough to run or attack him before he got the chance to question her involvement in the event. But as she stared right back into his sharingan, there was no such reaction. There wasn't <em>any <em>reaction. Hm. Maybe she didn't know about the Uchiha's Kekkei Genkei?

Whatever the case, it amazed him how one with such bright hair and eye colors could look so...broken. The exhaustion radiated off her and nearly stole a yawn. Something had happened here, to her. It was a look common as sunset in this world, seen many times on the wet faces on small children mourning the loss of a brother, or a mother consumed with misery when she realizes that she'll never see her husband again. Izuna had been cut off from the world at his three younger brothers' death, but had lived long enough to unfortunately learn to let go that sorrow and detach himself from it ever again. So why was he...A small wave of concern swept over him, but for a reason he couldn't understand. This didn't usually happen when he confronted a possible enemy.

He had turned his attention towards the still bodies then, one heavily bleeding and the other clean with deep plum bruises all over his face. The discolored face was still recognizable, however, still proud despite the amount of children he'd killed. Izuna was rarely angry, but the sight the man set a deep angry fire in him that was reserved for only the harshest offenders. The Senju, for one. Many good men, many innocent children had died by the hands of_that one. _As he had flicked his eyes back, _there_ it was, the reaction hadn't expected. _Ah, so she does know. She's even trying to counter it. An interesting one we have here._

As he examined the bodies, it became obvious that she likely had killed them. The bruised man had succumbed to internal damage as there were no open wounds. The other body, a Hyuuga of the main family, had suffered a cut into an artery on his neck of just the right size and depth. While most shinobi memorized vital spots to exploit, clearly only someone with the knowledge of anatomy would use techniques that were efficient in order to provide a quick and only slightly painful death. A skilled healer looking to defend herself would be capable. And here this pink haired woman surely could be. If she was a healer it was unlikely she posed a high risk. It didn't appear as if she wanted to either, considering her body had taken a defensive stance ever since he arrived like a timid little doe caught by a hunter.

But he knew the Elders would not see her as he did. Although Izuna was curious about why she had killed them, it was not worth bringing her to the settlement only for her to end up a prisoner, a slave, or dead. It would be easier to scare her off the land._  
><em>

However, the scroll his associate tossed him furthered his curiosity. He didn't look at it, but the look in the woman's eyes told quite a story. For eyes that had been filled with pain moments prior and to suddenly light up at the sight of something found on the body of one she just killed? Izuna would have sighed if not busy trying to leave the area as soon as possible while trying to make her leave. Besides, Yori was right to say that the Hyuuga would come to retrieve the Byakugan. Though the idea of them trying, or even wanting to steal it was silly. He was sure _he_ could deal with many of them, but he didn't want to drag the poor girl into another battle.

After fighting with Yori and having to defend the woman paralyzed via genjutsu, he realized that to avoid being branded a traitor, he would have to bring her back to the compound to receive 'judgment.' In reality he would just convince Madara to release her. His aniki likely would not even want to waste his time on the matter.

With a gentleness that'd been absent for many years and through many deaths, Izuna picked up the pinkette. She was light and the shoulder exposed through her tattered shirt freezing. The look on her face earlier caused a fear to stir that any sudden movement would break the poor women as if she were made of thin glass. They left the area. And unable to resist the curiosity, Izuna stole another glance at her immobile face that had been starring at him or the sky—he wasn't sure. Her expression hadn't changed, as expected. But Izuna thought—hoped—he saw the faint like flicker in the green abyss of her eyes.

She held an exotic charm he thought, after seeing the many beautiful but similar women of his clan. The supple skin was blessed with faded scars here and there that he could barely see with his sharingan. The young vain women had always taken some interest in him, perhaps for who he was.

A comfortable silence joined them as they traveled through the thick foliage and gentle breeze filled with dancing leaves. An uneasy feeling crept up his spine, as he knew that she would have no choice but to stare at his face. He felt her eyes boring into him, and he wondered what she have to say about this, about him. The modesty in him blushed, but otherwise his face remained composed. Izuna used the force of landing on a tree branch to use his shoulder to shift her line of sight somewhere else.

The compound was dimly lit by a few lanterns hanging from corners of the buildings. A glow upon the entrance to the main house signaled someone was up, but since Yori had already seen her it mattered little, it he didn't see her walk out the gate himself in the morning, the older man was probable to warn the community of an enemy. There would be disarray for a slight misunderstanding. Turning to sit her in the guest room, he saw out of the corner of his eyes his aniki looking towards them with narrowed eyes.

Izuna released the genjutsu. If he was wrong and she charged him, he could at least be spared the embarrassment of infallibility. He informed her of his plan, and noticing the state of her attire, offered to send someone with proper clothes for tomorrow, perhaps something to compliment her feminine figure.

He turned to leave the room and talk with his brother. "Wait," she rushed out." Why did you...?" Ah, woman always had an irritating way of asking him questions he could not and did not want to answer. An honest answer would be that he just had to, that an ambiguous pull brought him to spare her of disembowelment. Maybe he spared her because she was woman...no, there were women that died in front of his eyes. Perhaps he was drawn to her because of her beauty or the mystery of her. "Why would you let me go?"

Now that one was easy. The alternative was worse." It would be a waste to kill you." And truly it would be, in her interest, her family's, her friends', his own.

She thanked him, and he bid her a goodnight after learning her name. _Sakura, hm?_ How befitting. With a small smile, he shut the door to the guest room._  
><em>

Madara stood there, his arms folded across his chest and eyebrow raised. Izuna felt like a guilty child caught red handed. Although he _said_ his aniki would agree with him, the confidence in this statement was dependent of the trust between the two. They meant everything to each other, and were the only immediate family the brothers had left after the death of their father. On the other hand, Madara never took kindly to outsiders as well as he did, not since his severed friendship with Hashirama. He also hated surprises. But above all else, Madara trusted Izuna. Hopefully that was enough. "Who is she?"

"A woman by the name of Haruno Sakura whom Yori and I encountered in the outer western territory." He knew nothing else to say about her, but it would not assuage the elder brother's curiosity.

Madara impatiently wave his hand as a signal to continue."Aa, but _who_ is she? Why did you bring her back here?" Usually, Izuna could read his emotions better than everyone. Now, it was difficult to ascertain if he was angry.

The death of the Hyuugas would certainly arouse suspicion, not to mention her knowledge of their dojutsu or her involvement with the objects seized from the bodies. Unable to lie, Izuna told him of the scene and his observations about what might have occurred. The oddity of the situation became apparent on Madara's face as he told the story. What would a healer be doing wandering the land without anyone to heal, without any of her patrons? Was she a healer? The possibility of her employment under the Hyuuga was plausible...but unlikely. They were even more selective than the Uchiha. So what had she been doing all the way out here, far from the nearest merchant village?

"I know that my actions may seem irrational, but...I couldn't not help her, aniki. An enemy of our enemy is our friend, right?" The fact that Haruno-san did not like the Hyuuga either would have to help his cause, but Izuna knew the argument he was pleading was weak.

To his surprise, Madara gave a mischievous smirk, a look only a few had ever seen." Your reasoning is mediocre, but I'll indulge your fantasy of tending to this," he paused, cocking his head to the in the search of an appropriate analogy, "kicked little pup. But she can't leave, not yet." He was afraid that would be the answer. "Please, bring her by me in the morning so we may be _properly_ introduced."

That tone; a rarity that Madara only presented when his interest was piqued. The patriarch was gifted, dubbed the strongest shinobi of his generation and the history his clan. If he was a indeed a genius, then the mystery of that kicked little puppy—and if Izuna's account was reliable, a kicked little puppy that kicked back—should be easy for him to solve.

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><p>Faint footsteps outside the fusuma awoke Sakura instantly. She prepared to hide behind against the wall with door, but remembered where she was. <em>So, it wasn't a dream after all?<em>_ Should I be disappointed or grateful_? How many weeks had it been since she enjoyed the comfort of bed and the luxury of waking up after sunrise?_  
><em>

"Come in, Uchiha-san." It might not be Uchiha Izuna, but it had to be an Uchiha. Sakura hoped it was the first option though, as it seemed he would be the easiest to deal with.

But alas, it wasn't him. A woman with an oblong face and petite figure slide the door open abruptly with a jerk. She had stern black eyes and faded gray hair. Age marks dotted her face. The frown seemed to be permanently plastered there, as did the eyebrows angled down in an agitated look.

Sakura smiled at the woman, hoping to make their meeting pleasant."Hello, Uchiha-san. I'm-" Fabric hitting and covering her face stopped her mid-sentence, as the woman threw the clothes she'd brought at the request of the young air at the strange visitor.

"I don't care! Get dressed. When you're done, I shall escort you. Hurry up!" If it were anyone else, Sakura would have decked them across the face, or at least given them a sharp tongued reply. Yet if she were to attack a defenseless grandmother, it'd be guaranteed she wouldn't get her scroll back.

The kimono that veiled her head was made of a light cotton, and obnoxiously patterned after cherry blossoms. The gesture was sweet on Izuna's part, but Sakura would have preferred replicas to her old clothes, and preferably something _without_ cherry blossoms. Her name was Sakura, but that didn't mean she lived and breathed the flower. Otherwise, she understood that it was matter of hospitality. The old fashioned ones would not sit well with a woman wearing such clothing anyway._  
><em>

She combed through her hair using her fingers. It was amazing how one could miss an activity so simple and chore like. A panic seized her as the pinkette realized that there were no showers to use in this time. The hot springs might be available, but the social aspect was the majority of the reason she rarely visited the them in Konoha, at Ino's insistence.

Before the emotions started to crawl back to the surface, Sakura pushed them down and turned back to the elderly woman busy scrutinizing her. "Thank you. I'm ready." They walked in silence down the long corridor away from the entryway. Izuna was waiting by another pair of elegantly designed wooden doors in the middle of the hall, staring at the floor lost in thought. The kunoichi wondered if he'd lived up to his promise.

The elderly lady in front of her pushed her forward towards him, Sakura nearly tripping over the lengthy kimono similar to a newborn the modern era, most women rarely dressed in such elegant clothing, instead opting for pieces that would adapt to the life of a kunoichi. She managed to catch her balance gracefully, but to see one of Izuna's arms extended to offer her balance touched her.

The genuine smile contrasted the stoic attitude she'd seen from the young man last night. This probably stemmed from the amount of trust (albeit little) she'd built with him by keeping her promise. People lowered their guard around those they had confidence in. So, they actually could smile and not look crazy! He sheepishly retracted his arm when he found her stable. " Good morning. I sent Izumi-sama to the market for clothes. Due to the amount of time, I opted out of having one made by the seamstress. Unfortunately, it looks a little too long." A childish frown replaced the smile, but Sakura tried to lightly laugh it off.

"Please, call me Sakura. It's quite alright. In fact, it's almost too much for a guest of only a day. The pattern is very lovely." Looking behind her, she knew the rude old woman had been told her name and chose the pattern to spite Sakura, but she'd already escaped the wrath.

Sakura's reassurance had little effect, as he'd avoided her gaze. "...My aniki wishes to see you." And the words upset her too. Why did he sound so guilty? But he slid the door open for her before she had time to react. The dreadfulness of his voice only agitated her.

Yes, it was beneficial to stay in the compound for the time being, but could he being implying a less than favorable solution.

Sakura closed her eyes, nervously inhaled, and stepped into the room. Izuna slid the door close behind them, cutting of her escape route. Wasn't there a rule about a woman going alone into a room with strange men?

It took everything from the young woman not to vomit at the sight. At the sight of _him_. In all his glorious youth, characteristically holding an air of confidence around his suffocating dark presence.

There was no mistake to be made, it was Madara Uchiha. How could she have forgotten? Of course Madara was the clan leader! They'd been forced early in their education at the academy to learn about a short period of time in each founding clan before the creation of the village.

When Izuna had said his brother would give the final verdict of her situation, she supposed that she'd gotten caught up in the nonsense of it all. Gentle Izuna sharing blood with a malicious mass murder like him?

Regardless, here his brother was in the flesh, eerily similar to his edo tensei and rinne tensei state. At least he did not don the repugnant features of the Juubi jinchuriki. So close to him, the image of her attacking him flashed in her mind. No, there was no reason to fear him, despite his future transgressions. The first hokage wouldn't have befriended someone unscrupulous.

Indeed, the dark man now disinterestedly having a staring contest with her probably possessed the same ruthless diligence Sakura had witnessed in the future, but he seemed sane. It was likely he hadn't been warped by grief and Black Zetsu's temptation yet. The thought of seeing the annoying manifestation without the protection of Kaguya eased the weight on her shoulder. The little manipulative crook wouldn't get far in his agenda this time.

"Sakura, yes?" Afraid of vocalizing her fear, she returned a dazed bow. "Who are you?"

How subtle. Unlike Izuna, it appeared he wasn't much for pleasantries. Who was she? Haruno was an ordinary surname from her time, but still a kinship. It assuredly lacked the prominence any of the other clans held, and viable to catch her in a lie if she gave them information they could disprove. It would more fruitfal to give them vague half truths.

"There is—well, was—a small, self-sufficient settlement by the border in the free territory. I was born and raised among civilians and vigilantes, who were for the majority of the time unnecessary. Our little settlement was too small to be a target of any type, and was not given recognition or an official name by the surrounding merchant ports. We lived in secluded peace."

For a convincing effect, she bowed her head and let a few tears (some fake, some real) fall."But a madman..." she looked back up to Madara, the madman, whose face remain unchanged at her waterworks. What a tough crowd. Barely a whisper, she continued. "But a madman didn't understand that there was such a peace, and thought that his own ideas trumped all. He razed our town to the ground, killed almost the entire population. I..."

She bunched in her hands the side of the kimono, producing angry tears. A hand lightly touched her shoulder. Ah, at least someone was buying her story."I tried to stop him, but he nearly killed me. My friends, my family, they all died right in front of me.

I managed to escape the compound, but collapsed not very far from the settlement in the Hyuuga clan's land due to my wounds. They kidnapped me for trespassing, and planned to abandon me in the Uchiha territory so that you might find me and take the job of disposal off their hands." Sakura hoped that Madara could sympathize with the mourning atmosphere she presented. He would most likely deny the Hyuuga the satisfaction of her death at the very least.

If he resonated with her story, Madara didn't show it. He absorbed the information while Izuna offered his condolences by her side.

The silence waiting for him to answer was replaced by a ringing in her ears and a nervously pounding heart. The testimony she gave coincided with a dazed woman overcome with grief. If there were gaps in the story she gave, it could easily be dismissed as such.

Or, he artfully saw through her deceptive acting. Madara didn't become the self proclaimed 'Savior of This World' through integrity. After a moment, he asked," are you a kunoichi, or an impossibly skilled civilian?" The question was rhetoric, she knew. They were aware she had some talent in the ninja arts, talent that could not be picked up through self teaching or meaningless observation.

But to admit she was a kunoichi would raise questions on her involvement in a merchant port." A lot of the 'vigilantes' I spoke of are former shinobi that...retired, I suppose. A woman with exceptional talent with medical ninjutsu allowed me to serve as her apprentice until her death."

" I'm not so much a kunoichi as a medic that can defend herself." She gestured to the spot where Madara had impaled a metal rod through her stomach. "It's why I was able to heal my life threatening injuries to where I could kill my kidnappers."

His thick mane like hair covered one of his eyes, but Sakura could see the knowing look in his eyes. He extended his hand towards Izuna, who produced from his blue cloak the scroll. Madara snatched it before she could even think of grabbing it.

What would her excuse be this time? That it was the Hyuugas? No, it would appear she had an ulterior motive, and would likely not allow Sakura to stay. "You're skilled in fuinjutsu as well? In all my experience, I've never seen something so...unique."

He opened it up, looked at it, and showed it to her. Sakura had never bothered to learn the mechanics of seals beyond the basics, but even she understood why it confused the lot. It was practically an indefinite amount of seals placed on top of each other, each more intricate than the last. Had Obito made this?

Thinking on her feet, she replied with sad laughter. "Oh, no. I'd never be able to design something so advanced. This scroll was given to me by my shishou a time near her death. Actually, I was hoping someone with extensive knowledge of seals might be able to tell me its purpose."

The sentimental attachment she gave to it would not stop them from confiscating it if they believed it to be dangerous."I personally believe it was my shishou being overly cautious and sealing her medical journals and techniques into the scroll."

Madara raised his eyebrow at that, perhaps the first voluntary display of emotion she'd seen from him. The man said nothing. Izuna instead, gave a response to her. "Fuinjutsu is not our specialty. That was always the Uzumaki. We are on somewhat decent terms with them, and a delegate will be staying as our honored guest anyway..."

Izuna stopped and looked up towards his sole surviving brother. They seemed to be having a silent conversation. She tried to read Izuna's eyes, but he turned back to her fairly quickly." She can look at it for you. Until her arrival, you can stay in the compound." He again donned a small smile, surprising Sakura again.

The pinkette could stay for little to no compensation? Did they pity her? Madara himself called her skilled, though that comment was rather a dig at her unreliability. Even if they believed her, they would not trust her to work in the sick ward yet. Essentially, Sakura was their guest.

She stood and begrudgingly bowed to the leader of the Uchiha clan."Your kindness is appreciated, Uchiha-sama." Did he notice the acidity of the honorific she supplied to his name? Yes, he was not yet the man who had led her friends to death, but that didn't stop the utter contempt she held for his mere presence.

Izuna walked out from the office, calling out Izumi's name to secure Sakura a proper guest room. As she turned to follow him, a hand stopped her by the shoulder. A creeping feeling shot up her spine.

Turning her head to find Madara's red and black pattered eyes boring into her own, she glared back at him. Intimidated as she was, backing down would gain nothing." I know you're lying. Izuna might be able to willfully stick his head in the sand for his infatuation, but you're more than a simple 'healer,'" He tapped the yin seal on her forehead." and that scroll is not made for sealing materials. It obviously contains elements of space-time jutsu. I'll allow you to stay because you interest me."

She went to retort, but he forced her gaze forward and leaned in close to her. Because he _knew_ she hated him. "When you cease to entertain me, you will give me the answers I want. The _real_ ones."

Sakura burst out giggling, knowing it was the response he didn't desire. "Is that what you think, Uchiha-sama?" She questioned. With a smirk directed at him, she tore her shoulder from his grip, following the much more pleasant Izuna.

A few burns were worth playing with fire.

* * *

><p>I had planned on posting the first part on Thanksgiving, and the second part on SundayMonday, but that didn't work out. Depending on my schedule and motivation, I may or may not post a chapter next Sunday/Monday. As always, please review if you have time. My motivation is not mutually exclusive to, but greatly influenced by the notifications I get.

**SoS**


	4. Outsider

**If you do not approve of sexually explicit or _almost_ non-consenting, do not read chapter 5.** There is relevancy to the issue, but it is not necessary to read that part. You'll be able to read and understand what's going on just fine without it.

The reviews are amazing as always, you wonderful people: the ever faithful LChan3706, silverwolfighter00, shadowlove'scookies, Miyukino, angel897, kutsky, Sakura Hatsu, and Guest (Iris.)

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><p>In the beginning, the idea of living in the settlement in a position to influence the Uchiha was appealing to Sakura. If Zetsu were to try to further the rift between Ashura and Inda's descendants, Sakura would at least have some leverage to halt the manifestation of Kaguya's will.<p>

Yet, as always the idea was nice in theory, but not in reality. The first two days were slow for Sakura, who was treated as the 'honored' guest by the retainers and some of her hosts. This meant that she would not have to lift a finger during her stay, or work for her food; it was often just served to her in her room. Most likely, Madara hadn't yet the gall to invite her to dine with the main family, Izuna and the great clan head himself.

While that aspect did not bother her (but rather made her glad at the prospect of not dealing with him more than necessary,) it began to get boring as Sakura realized that she would be treated as an actual guest, unable to leave the house. The only rooms she could enter was her own, the kitchen, and the foyer. What was she to do inside the walls alone? Every morning, Izumi felt the need to barge in her room, throw something at her, and yell at her in a terse tone. Couldn't she just leave the clothes outside the door?

But even that social interaction satisfied Sakura, as she saw how tense the rest of the clan was around her when she took walks around the territory. The women whispered insults about her appearance, specifically about her _ugly, short, strange, and pink_ hair. Her large forehead was also a target for jibes.

Her eye twitched at these comments, but often retaliated by looking over her shoulder to the women and letting them know she'd heard. That shut them up quickly, at least until she was out of hearing distance.

The children offered no slander, but their actions were enough. Likely from their mother's influence, they either ran away with fearful looks adorning their chubby faces or giggling while they stepped on her too long kimono. Some stared at her. These reactions were expected though, and understood. The children seldom saw an outsider unless they infiltrated the compound or had seen them in battle.

Besides, one kid had collected an arm full of earth and yellow dandelions, offering it to the "strange pretty lady." Sakura had giggled at his attempt to be kind by giving her weeds and clumps of dirt. Almost immediately, the little boy was being dragged away by his mom, the amateur bouquet tossed to the ground and crushed by the glaring woman's foot.

The men seemed torn. Half of the shinobi rebuffed Sakura whenever she approached them, calling her a whore. The other half undressed her with their eyes. None of the latter were bold enough to say anything, or at least not yet anyway. But she'd heard one describing in gory detail how he'd like to "push her to the ground, rip her dress, spread her legs and fuck her _nice little snatch_ till she bled." Every ounce of willpower she had restrained her from bludgeoning the man to death.

She could respect the men reluctant to befriend her; they were just cautious. But the others made her mentally yell and plot their deaths according. Inner Sakura, as she referred to her honest inner personality, sometimes made blunt threats.

A handful of the people were nice to her, a few mothers and their children, but they were more polite than anything. If Sakura was going to reside here, she would need to befriend someone for mental and social stability. That meant they had to trust her, just as Izuna had put his blind faith in her, for reasons she still did not understand.

Izuna was often away from the compound. He'd always meet with her before she went to bed, though, and asked how her days was. While she wished to tell him of the cruel comments from some villagers, especially the crude lechers, it would cause more of a disruption in the village, having the members punished for a simple guest and possible soon to be resident.

Living in with the Uchihas would be difficult given their introverted nature, but she couldn't just start over in another free village, or with the Senju. The circumstances surrounding her stay here were convenient, and too opportune to leave.

By the third day of doing nothing, Sakura had enough! Ready to pull her hair out, she practically begged Izumi to find something for her to do. Being a medical kunoichi under Tsunde's tutelage meant that Sakura was always busy doing something whether it be on a mission, picking up an extra shift at the hospital or helping the hokage with paperwork. Here she was, reduced to the duties of the noble. What was she, the daimyo's daughter?

The evil old witch indulged her, letting her do the dishes, running to the market for food and supplies (though the sellers were still quite rude,) and any other chores the woman didn't want to do. Sakura, through this, felt just how much she loved her job as a 'healer' and looked towards the healing ward and apothecary longingly. Healers treated many people, and there were many of them in the profession, but those that truly wanted to help others enjoyed the majority of their patients.

On the fourth day of her stay, Sakura walked into the healing ward to see a tired woman, probably in her thirties, bandaging some man's shoulder. It was already covered in a significant amount of blood.

"Ah, that's a little tight, ne?" At this, the woman pulled the cloth harder to where the man flinched.

The healer cackled. "Don't be such a baby! A tough guy like you can take an arrow to your trapezius but can't handle a little discomfort?"

"He came in here to be bandaged, not for a tourniquet," Sakura quipped. The woman stared, but did nothing as Sakura walked up to the patient, cut off his bloody bandages that were likely to give him an infection and give him fresh dressings. She ignored the surprised looks of both, thankful for the lack of dirty glances. When she was finished, she gave the man a polite smile. "How's that?"

He moved his shoulder in a circular motion, likely trying to get the limb to wake up."...good. Thank you, healer-san." Sakura could see the reluctance with which he addressed her, but it was a step in the right direction.

A tapping of a foot caught her attention " I've seen you around the compound before." Her face softened for a bit, but looked to the bloody bandages on the bed. "I don't need you to tell me how to do my job. An outsider such as yourself shouldn't be anywhere near here. Count your blessings that  
>I've decided to forgive you for this." She turned to another bed, where a young boy was sickly pale and sweating all over, and put a small towel on his head. "What do you need?"<p>

This was the same treatment Sakura received at the market. The merchants would remind her of the fact that she was an outsider, and then ask her what she needed.

"The ward is often full, I see. And since I have some skills in the art of healing, I wanted to offer my assistance."

Without turning back, the woman quickly replied." Thanks, but your assistance in unnecessary. My two apprentices are _usually_ here. If something should happen, I'll send for you." Sakura knew this was a method to satisfy her so she would leave, and it worked. It was not an outright no, and the conversation had been polite. Before she left though, she recognized the illness plaguing the child (Tsunade-shishou would later find a cure for it using a combination of medicinal herbs and plants.)

After instructing the healer on the procedure and giving her a list of ingredients (which the she reluctantly took,) Sakura left the ward giddy. If something should ever come up—which would be terrible, of course—she would finally have some stability in her life.

* * *

><p>All the chores were finished that night. Too early to sleep and wide awake. Sakura went walking around the compound again. The air was cool, the sun just barely set past the horizon. Much of the lively activity died down, the people asleep in their small cozy homes. For this, she was thankful. The weird looks and the rude gestures were not missed. The guards always switched around this time, or a few scatters of shinobi returning from outside the compound, but they scarcely every acknowledged her presence. Perhaps the woman's hot spring was deserted as well.<p>

A sigh of relief escaped her small lips as she saw the empty, steaming springs. The men's onsen was on the other end of the settlement to discourage peeping, so Sakura knew that her bath would be undisturbed. She undressed and carefully got into the relaxing water. A moment to herself was practically daily life for Sakura as of recent, but the water felt so heavenly!

The four days she spent flashed through her thoughts. Although they were slow and uneventful, it was admittedly a better option than staying out in that damned wilderness. Sakura was familiar with camping in secluded rural areas, but had the privilege of someone suffering with her, whether it was Team Kakashi or with some of the other Konoha eleven.

Madara had only made an appearance when Sakura walked through the main entry to the house, or by the large wooden gates to the outer territory, always dressed in his full red armor. His torturous smile when he spotted her during these moments made her squirm out of sight. The man was much more approachable and tolerable than his future counter part.

In fact, in a weird way, she enjoyed their little encounter on the day she'd first seen him with Izuna. Something about the thought of a little cat and mouse game excited Sakura. Built off years of newly grown and well deserved confidence, Sakura enjoyed to challenge those that doubted her. The satisfaction of the awe struck faces of her old teammates when she'd utilized her full power against the replications of the Juubi. She'd show these pompous Uchihas her true strength! _Shannaro!_

"What?" Had she said that a loud? Sakura turned to the unexpected visitor in shock. It was a masculine voice, and very familiar. Yori. And there he was, staggeringly drunk, and stark naked.

A/N: **See Above AN (removed from this chapter)**

That familiar screeching which woke Sakura up everyday called out," what the hell is going here?" Izumi stopped at the sight of the two naked, Sakura out of the pool clutching Yori's clothes around her body. The man had ripped her dress up.

Izumi glared down at him. "How dare you! This is the women's bath, you sick old man!" Izumi was actually older than him, Sakura thought. " You just wait! You wait till they find out, twisted pervert!"

The gray haired woman bent down to Sakura who sat on the ground in order to cover herself. Sakura was freezing now, even though her blood was hyped on adrenaline from the struggle." Come along, dear. I'll have a bath ready in your room, if you'd like."

Sakura's body shook as she answered. " I don't have any clothes..." Now, the woman scowled towards the man.

"I suggest you leave, now!" With his pride hurt, he gathered his clothes, as Izumi had thrown them at his face. When he finally left, she ran back towards the main house. Sakura guessed she went to get a new outfit for her. Less than a minute later, the woman returned heavily breathing with a green garment draped over her arm.

The kimono was a heavy cotton this time, accompanied by a think wool robe. They walked to the main house at a brisk pace, avoiding the gazes of guards at the gates and once inside, past Madara's office, the brothers in their looking up momentarily from their conversation to wonder about the commotion.

Sakura was too jolted from the encounter to answer, but was thankful that one of the most respected woman in the clan shooed them. But it would be foolish to think they didn't notice her shaking body, the devastated look on her face. Unable to process the emotions, she had just shut down and sealed herself from feeling anything.

Sakura sat down on the bed, silent for several moments while Izumi smoothed her wet hair back and combed it. It felt nice, for her hair to be combed...and for someone to actually show concern. She made eye contact with the Uchiha, curious as to when she'd changed her mind about the pinkette. She'd actually used her _name_ tonight. The aging grace had defended her, spared her the embarrassment of walking through the village in a man's attire, or even worse, in her birthday suit. "Now, I wouldn't worry about Yori. He's always been a..." she shook her head angrily,"...an asshole. As soon as Izuna-kun gives him a stern warning and just punishment-"

But Sakura didn't want anyone to know, much less _him_. " I don't think it's wise to tell anyone about this. I..." she took a deep breath and finally opened up. "I have no where else to go, for now. That's why I'm trying to fit in. If they learned to respect and care for me over time, the initial coldness could be forgotten. But...this. I...I couldn't kill him."

A light slap against the back of her head, all in playful scolding. "Why not? I would have. Listen, Sakura-chan, nothing is worth be treated unfairly. If they cannot accept you as you are, a person with thoughts and feelings, then why would you want to live here anyway? Even I can't stand the narcissism in this damned place! If you had killed Yori, and they punished you for defending yourself...hell, I would have left the compound with you. We should not be condemning people for being victims, and therefore, I insist we tell Izuna-kun and Madara-kun about this. That little shit deserves whatever punishment he can get." Whispering under her breath," and it's not the first incident either."

Sakura said nothing, but apparently didn't need to as Izumi continued her lecture."You want their respect? How do you think you will earn that?" Izumi's face was relaxed and possessed a motherly look of caring now. Remembering the abrupt start with Chiyo-sama, Sakura found she made at least one friend.

"By earning their trust. If I'm open about my past and the circumstances, they'll integrate me into the clan life."

The grandmother, the women that oversaw the servants of the house, a practical matriarch scoffed. Looking at the young woman before her, so obviously lost in her ways, Izumi rested a hand on her back. " Give up trying to win their respect; they're all a bunch of barbaric children. The whole lot. "

She paused, and offered," The only way to win their respect is through power and strength. They feel they may take advantage of you, because you have no authority over them. But you do. As soon as Yori is punished, they'll understand. They won't like you, but they'll understand." She gave the girl a one armed hug, and got up.

"But I want their respect, at least as a human being. I'm not going to be treated like that!" The woman shrugged.

"Find an opportunity to earn it. I heard gossip through the village about a very thankful mother praising the miracle working foreigner. Stand your ground and show them that you," she pointed a small nimble finger at the medic-nin," _deserve_ their respect."

She turned back towards the door sliding it open. "While I'm at it, I'll ask if Kana could watch over your work. You have talent. Don't worry, Sakura, they'll behave much better tomorrow. Trust me." The last part was venomous, so it must be true. Sakura knew by Izumi's demeanor that plenty of the clan was downright scared of the frail old woman.

Though the fusuma was shut, Sakura sadly smiled when she heard the comment from Izumi-sama. "Nothing but a bunch of children..." But as soon as the light from the hall disappeared, the emotions flooded Sakura. Torn between nausea and utter sadness, she let it overwhelm her.

She couldn't sleep that night.

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><p>LChan3706: It always makes my SundayMonday when I check my email and see you've posted a review. Thank you, your compliments mean a lot to me! As for Madara, yes he's not :) As I was writing the chapter, I remember that Mito Uzumaki also has the yin seal on her forehead, although it can be debated when she built it up. So I imagine he would recognized the seal. Sakura is a clever young woman, so we'll see how this little game will turn out.

silverwolfighter00: Thanks for another review, and I thought so too. As for the who the Uzumaki is, it is certainly a mystery to me too. Well, at least when I wrote that chapter. I'm trying to find a balance between OCs and cannon characters, which is almost impossible given the time frame. We only know of Madara, Izuna, Hashirama, Tobirama and Mito during this time (unless I have forgotten someone.) OCs are not often my favorite, but they had to be done for this story, such as this chapter. That being said, you'll rarely find that I give OCs a big part to play.

Shadowlove'scookies: Thank you again! When the time comes we'll have a 3rd person perspective surrounding Madara and his thoughts on our pinkette, and I can't wait either :)

Miyukino: I thank you for your time and consideration. Yes, Sakura is indeed on par with Tsunade based on her strength and healing techniques, as Hashirama noted. Does that mean that Sakura is on the level of Tsunade considering all other skills? Hm, debatable. I am in no way trying to undermine Sakura's abilities, but is it not reasonable to assume that the shinobi from this era compared to the current generation is like comparing apples to oranges? Sakura and co. lived in the safety of the village as children, the entire purpose of the creation of Konoha. These shinobi have had to fight since they were able, though, and as a result develop much faster. While it is true that Sakura would defeat many of them, I also stated in that chapter that Sakura was exhausted from her use of chakra during the fight with Kaguya. Besides, Sakura cannot win _every _fight. I've taken your comment into consideration for future battles though.

Angel897: Thank you! Sass is the go to method. Why not be entertaining and borderline rude at the same time?

Kutsky: "yayay" indeed :). I'm glad you think so! Yes, Sakura's character is an interesting one to write. There's a lot of bite, as you put it, to her character, mixed with a gentleness. Some people don't agree with the way I write Sakura, and that's understandable. Trust me when I say that I continually read the manga and other sources in order to combat oocness, though if it does become ooc that I apologize :(. I will as long as there is an interest!

Sakura Hatsu: ¡Gracias por sus commentarios, usted! Le pido disculpas porque no puedo escribir este historia en español. Mi español es limitado. I noticed that you speak Spanish on your profile. For that reason, I hope that everything translates correctly. My Spanish is horrible.

Iris: Thank you. Your comment made my day today :) It's nice and somewhat frustrating that you bring that up. Time travel topics have been explored a lot, and there are many theories on what it does. That is, if it's possible that it will create a separate reality or not if something is changed. I haven't planned the details yet, but there will be a chapter regarding this exact issue. As for your question on the Uzumaki, I'm not at liberty to say ;).


	5. Outsider (removed portion)

**Warnings: Sexually suggestive, non-con, but not descriptive!**

Next chapter, the _actual_ next chapter will be posted this weekend as usual. An addendum will be added sometime before Saturday.**  
><strong>

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><p>"What?" Had she said that out loud? Splashing water as she turned around and covered her chest at the sound of masculine voice. The same voice that had made the perverted fantasy comment only husky and slurred. She hadn't yelled the last part out, had she? No matter, there the man was, his black armor and blue garments removed. He was stark naked, much to Sakura's modest embarrassment. She'd seen plenty of naked bodies, but obviously not under the circumstances of a drunk man appearing before her. And even worse, it was the elder man that had accompanied Izuna the day they found her. Yori.<p>

"Excuse me, this is the women's bath." He shrugged and got tipsily into the warm pool. Sakura backed away from him, hoping not set the man off but not to be any closer. "Oh, forget it, I was just leaving anyhow."

She turned to the stone edge of the pool to climb out, but two strong arms hugged her close to the mans chest. "Is this your show of appreciation?" He pressed her bare bottom against his naked hips. Sakura tried to wiggle out of his grasp, but Yori became aware of this and restrained her wrists.

"Get the hell off me!" Sakura threw her head back in an attempt to knock him out, but he dodged this and used the opening to press his disgusting hot mouth on the side of her neck, 'bestowing' a quick kiss of the vulnerable flesh. "Let me go, please!"

He tsked ."After I saved you! The least you can do is repay me. Don't make me place you under my jutsu again. That won't be fun for either of us." Sakura wildly thrashed against him, making the water splash all around them. This likely did nothing but to excite him further. He took both wrists into a large palm now, placing the other on her breast. He kissed along her neck line, his lips slick and wet.

Sakura resorted to screaming."Get this asshole off me!" She knew that there were a few houses nearby the spring, and that someone would have to hear here." I'm going to break every single bone in your body if you don't get off!"

Yori signed and his eyes reverted to their bright red color. "We could have avoided this." Sakura shut her eyes tightly and turned her head away from his gaze. He released her arms, spun her around, nudged his legs between hers and restrained her again with one of his hands. Sakura felt as he pressed right up against her, and a frightening shiver ran down her spine. She leaned forward to try and bite him, but the bastard grabbed a hold of her head. He twisted his arm so that his thumb rested over her shut eyelid.

"Stop, please!" She screamed at him. But the man pushed open her eyelid. His eyes were blazing red, angry, and clouded with lust. He smiled.

Sakura headbutted him, and when his eyes were off her, open her eyes and kneed him in his groin. "Ungrateful bitch!" He yelled at her.

Was this the fate of her reputation? Either a whore if she let him continue, a killer, or a nark if she reported the man? Did everyone hate her this much? Four days here, and no one respected her. And why should they, she had done nothing but be given free food and stay? It was clear that Sakura would have to earn her place among them. But in the mean time, was she supposed to put up with this?

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><p>And then the rest of <em>Outsider<em> happened.

See you next time, lovelies! Reviews light up my mailbox.


	6. Addendum

_ Review 'thank you's will be posted next chapter. Review responses will be done by PM in order to conserve space and free up reader time. Guest review responses will be posted if they are relevant points I want to discuss._

_For those that wondered how Izuna and Madara took the news, and what happens to Yori._

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><p>Sakura lay awake, still shivering under the protection of her thick blankets. She wasn't cold, in essence. But the freight still pulsing through her body made the blood cold and frozen. Had...had that actually happened? Did he...?<p>

No, no. Izumi stopped him. No, _she_ stopped him.

It was all a blur by this point, yet so entirely etched in her mind that it seemed impossible to forget. The way his sick hands touched her, ran up and down her body. They way his slimy lips ran down her jaw line.

They way he tried to rip open her eyes so he could cast a paralysis genjutsu on her. This tactic had alarmed Sakura. She was sure that many of those that were familiar with the Sharingan knew to close their eyes should they encounter it, and that the Uchiha probably found a way to get around this too.

But Yori having forcefully tugged her eyes open made the situation much more dire. The clear difference in power at that particular moment, as he bested her mentally, emotionally, and physically. Had he really been so close to...to that...if not for a silly little headbutt?

Sakura was aware of the quickened pace of her heart, beating violently against its cage. The sweat dripping in her palms...it was sick. She was sick. She felt sick.

In anticipation of sickness, Sakura rolled over and held her head over the side of the bed. No amount of deep breaths—almost hyperventilating—could calm her nerves and her stomach. It clenched in on nothing. How could one be hungry and so sick at the same time?

The nausea passed for a brief moment, and Sakura took the spare time to wipe her brow. The kunoichi didn't understand. Indeed she was shaking earlier, offering in a quiet defeated voice that she couldn't go back to the main house, where she was treated as the prim and proper guest; she didn't have any clothes.

Her body, her dignity, shown to everyone that might have heard the pleads from the baths. One of the most intimate things the young, innocent woman could havr imagined, shared to _their_ eyes after her personal comfort was invaded?

The gifts, the kimono and elegant obi, from the one person who had trusted her without issue, torn to shreds by one of his 'faithful' followers?

She remember the look on Izumi's face at the sight of them. Was she torn between letting Sakura continue to beat the man into a fiery hell, or to spare her blood? After all, blood was thicker than water. Izumi hated her so much anyway, right?

But that was clearly not the way Izumi thought, evident by the soft concern adorning that aged but still beautifully gentle face that she had to have cared for the pinkette. The way she crouched down next to the sunken girl and soothed her by moving her hair back into place, just as her Mama might have done...

Beyond all else, her eyes held a silent anger. Izumi had called him an 'asshole' but Sakura felt this was a soft cover up of a plethora of violent slurs the woman wanted to say. Yori had committed a heinous crime, something so cowardly and disgusting that it justified execution in such conservative times.

Yet Sakura knew that Izumi was not the one to offer 'judgement' as Izuna had once called it. If Sakura was unsure that the sick old man would receive just punishment, she was certain that he would; and oh would it be severe, if Izumi-sama had any say in it.

Considering that, she tried to let go the anxiety and...whatever emotions had risen to the surface due to the attack. Sakura had avoided the forward and audacious advances of perverted men before, but never had she been forcibly kissed and almost raped. So why did it not bother her, she thought when Izumi left the room to report the crime to Izuna and Madara.

The world was no longer as safe as she's grown used to in the comfort of Konoha's walls, always surrounded by her friends and family, protected by the function of the village system.

With no one to talk to, she had effectively pushed away the vulnerability she now felt, and asked for advice on the emotions she could stand to confront. She'd asked for respect, and perhaps that's why her de facto caregiver had given her a strange look.

Did Sakura not realize the experience she just suffered? Was it not basic human dignity that she desired? Human rights?

Whatever the case, Sakura now saw the error of that. Who cared if those assholes respected her? If they could not treat her as a human being then they would surely never change enough to accept the Senju, or to cast aside whatever hatred befell their miserable clan.

Izumi was right. They would not accept her as an equal, treat her with dignity, as they were now. Sakura would have to change them, ripping apart their very outlook on life piece by piece and reconstructing it.

But people stuck in the past, unable to accept change as Yori so clearly could not, would never allow that. But did that mean she should abandon them in pursuit of peace and understanding? Sakura would have laughed at the hypocrisy if she didn't already have the urge to gag at Yori's name.

Yet, she knew couldn't kill him, out of some foolish reluctance stemming from the emphasis over her goals.

She'd tried to put her personal feelings aside for the sake of peace, the kind that Naruto had sought, for the sake of her 'mission.' This peace however, was not in the intention of letting crooks get away with crime, but to avoid playing God and deciding the fate of someone's life.

While the selfish part of her wished the man would get the wrath of her hosts, or at least Izuna's, she knew that she was off on the wrong foot with the whole 'let revenge go' campaign if she wished death upon Yori.

Needless to say, Sakura didn't sleep that night. But she would put on the same fake smile Sai wore, and begin her tenure in the infirmary at dawn.

She was distracted when her door slid open again, letting in the light. Izumi walked in and stood silently, contemplating something. Finally, she asked Sakura a question.

"I could not sleep. This has been on my mind, and I ask that you answer honestly. If you were, to say, give that bastard his punishment, what would it be? What would you take?"

The question surprised Sakura. What would she take? In a perfect reality, his life. Yet the pacifist in her screamed nothing. But that was clearly the minority opinion.

The images kept flashing through her head. Many of the punishments received in crimes of rape was jail in modern times. Conservatives times like this did not believe in rehabilitation though. Were castration and death the only choices?

While his...maleness was certainly a threat, it was not what stuck in her mind. Having already showed all her emotional cards, she gave an honest answer.

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><p>Madara sat and listened to his otouto's complaints about being too long away from the village, away from <em>Sakura. <em>Oh no, no, Izuna had added, not because he had a crush on the pink haired woman as Madara kept insisting, but because he was worried the rest of the clan would treat her...coldly.

Of course, Madara had expected that to happen. The young woman didn't need to be dotted on, if her attitude when they originally met was anything to judge her by. The clan, including himself, was quite vicious around strangers whenever they entered the compound. In the end it was more of a challenge. If she could stand up to him, it would be quite easy to meet the others on their terms.

They had might as well forget the whole façade. Until Mito arrived and examined the mysterious scroll, and possibly after that, the woman would need somewhere to stay. While some details of her story were dubious, he doubted the shattered emotions on full display during the story were fake.

Izuna stopped whatever he was saying and looked over his shoulder, as did Madara at the sight of said woman and the only woman on the council of elders, Izumi. So, she'd managed to win over that rude old coot, eh?

Izuna asked out of curiosity, "What are you two doing?"

"Not now!" Seconds later the sliding of a door was heard, and its subsequent violent shut against the wall.

"See, she's with Izumi. I'm sure that woman is fine just without you, Izuna.

You can flirt with her on your own time, but that doesn't mean you can neglect your duties during her stay."

He supposed he was being a little unfair, but the welfare of the clan came above all else. The only interactions he had with her was when his brother wasn't present during his down time, usually as he was returning or entering the settlement.

Although, she was interesting and Madara often exploited opportunities to just frustrate her and see that lovely scowl on her face for a brief second before it reverted to either a stoic face or smile.

Indeed, the woman was an enigma. He'd been stopped a few times by some of the clan members, praising the new healer for her medical miracles. _Where did you find her, Madara-sama? She saved my son's life!_

Had Izuna actually stumbled upon a gem? Finding cures to diseases, showing Kana (whom had been the head healer in the clan since the death of her master ten years prior ) new techniques, or even just providing a kind beside manner? Unheard of.

But she was a boring enigma so far. Yes, yes, her medical skills sounded all dandy, but where was the true raw power he'd seen in that feisty spirit? The kind that wouldn't put up with him, or anyone else's attitude.

Whatever he'd done to deserve this profound hatred, he didn't know. While most people knew his name given that he was the head of the Uchiha, it seemed bizarre that someone he'd never seen before (someone with _pink_ hair couldn't be forgotten) would despise him.

Then again it was entirely possible she sympathized with the Uzumaki, who didn't quite care for Madara either. The diamond seal on her somewhat large forehead was familiar to Madara, recalling Uzumaki-_hime_ having the same one.

It was another reason why the meeting between them, whenever the hell the little princess decided to get here, would prove interesting. Should the young guest not know Mito, then she'll surely have explaining to do to the woman herself. Seldom do clans share their jutsu, but they did steal.

And then when he lost interest irritating her for being in the general vicinity, he'd take it a step further by being a true host and insist she eat dinner with them.

After all, he was anything if not a gentleman.

Izuna was about to reply, when the elder woman walked it and glared at Madara. It was nothing new, not a surprise to him. Very early in his childhood his father explained to him that Izumi was cold, but in the best interest of everyone. Under no circumstances was she to be treated rudely. Young Madara never understood why, she was a woman, and a weak woman at that. She wasn't a kunoichi, but he quickly learned that she was formidable in other ways.

Occasionally, they would clash in their opinions and argue until either of them conceded. And it was usually him just to hear her shut the hell up. Women talked to much for his taste.

She looked around the office, probably for something to throw at him, as she _always_ did. But there was nothing, so Izumi settled for clenching her fists. As if she could punch _him_. "I told you this would happen! You never listen to my advice, even though I'm usually right, no? I oughta-"

Madara held up his hand. Anything but another diatribe." What happened?" So, the girl had a little spat with someone did she? Eh, she looked fine to him when she'd passed with Izumi. Shaking, but alive nonetheless.

Izumi subtly motioned to his younger brother, raising her eyebrows. That bad? So much that she was concerned of how Izuna would react?

But Izuna saw this exchanged and glanced back and forth between the two." What is it, Izumi-sama? What happened with Sakura-san?" When no one said a word, he asked again with a more authoritative voice. "What happened?"

For a moment or two, Izumi just stared at the young Uchiha. Madara knew it was just a ploy to emphasize whatever news she brought. Izuna would be angry over almost anything pertaining to the pink haired child, which the elder brother knew when Izumi warned Madara not to allow Sakura in certain parts of the territory without the matriarch by her side as a filter.

Both of them, with whatever strange relationship they had, needed to understand that the idyllic view they held of each other—he the unusual Uchiha that had 'saved' her, practically offered everything she could need, and she a graceful, skilled woman that could be his—could never be a reality. At least, not that easily. Did Izuna expect his clansmen to like the woman just as he had?

Given that, Madara had allowed her freedom into the territory to procure evidence he needed to prove it. And the sooner Izuna understood that, the sooner she'd leave, and the less damage she'd do to his brother.

The girl could stay with them, and his preferences were neutral in this, but would she given the hatred for him?

Animatedly, Izumi told the story of Yori's transgression in the woman's bath, unable to hold his sake. Madara of course sat with a stoic expression on his face, and Izuna trying to get up and out the door (only for Izumi to push him back down into a sitting position.)

Honestly, even he was surprised. And disgusted. He thought his men had more dignity than to try and rape a woman.

"So here I am, right as always. I told Sakura-chan that he would be punished severely. It is a crime." Izumi paused for a moment, closed her eyes and sighed. "She doesn't want anyone to know, to save face. Punish him, but quietly."

And with that, his otouto quickly stood up and walked out the room. "Izuna! Get back here." But this time, he didn't listen and instead chose the direction towards the main entry. Madara beat him to it though, and blocked his path.

"He tried to _rape_ her, aniki! Not even a week after he tried to kill her! What kind of honor code is that?" He moved to pass between the entry way and the body blocking it.

Madara used his arm to block him this time. "Aa, and he was also drunk. That does not mean he was ill intended." Yori was never much of a shinobi anyhow, nor a pleasant person. But as a member of his clan, his family, and above all else the final word in disputes, Madara's job was to see things settled fairly and with justice. Izuna would offer no such mercy given the chance. He'd always been vengeful over his precious people. Over their brothers, their father; even Madara himself when Izuna found him friends with Hashirama, considering the Senju boy to have stolen his place as Madara's brother.

"So? He's been making crude and disgusting comments since she got here. If that's not ill intent, I don't know what is, " miss gossip lectured.

The expressionless, uncaring look on Madara's face changed to distaste. His arm slouched, eventually dropping back to his side. "Don't do so much damage, ne? Bring him back here well before daybreak."

Izuna left so fast Madara wasn't sure whether he'd heard or not.

With the tense atmosphere thick as morning fog, the two in opposition spared a glance toward their irritant. The hag could talk for hours, but with him her most effective arguments were often silent, because that's when he _listened._

But then she ruined it." I told you I'm always right..."

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><p>Yori hung is face in pain, bloody and swollen from the severe beating he'd earned from Izuna. The news of the incident clouded his mind, and he couldn't focus on anything else accept the anger he felt over the insubordination. The sheer audacity it took the first time to disobey his order and trying to gut her, toppled with the disgraceful whispers that made him, a full grown man, blush at the blunt words, was toeing the line?<p>

But this? He'd leaped over it. Sakura-san didn't deserve to be treated like a dog; even worse than a dog, since some clans treated them like equals. After everything she'd been through, the radiating sadness that he'd felt from her as Izuna listened to her story, Sakura needed a stable environment.

The one time he tried to be generous in his life, the young man had counted on his clansmen respecting his guest. And he'd merely exposed the wandering healer to a prison in practice, vulnerable to be attacked by the unforgiving wolves that lurked behind the bars. Perhaps that was expecting too much. He only wanted to help the poor woman...

Ah, but that was a lie. When had he ever helped women? Was Madara right?

The elder on his knees in mercy could not look up. Yori had retaliated at first, and then surrendered a few minutes after that. But that wouldn't subside his actions, or satisfy a hungry wrath.

Madara was absolutely right, it appeared.

"Pl...please, Uchiha-sama! I...I don't know what I'm doing when I drink. You can suspend me, seal my chakra, I don't care! Just please don't kill me." A real shinobi would never beg for his life.

"Shut up!" Izuna dragged the sniffling drunk man by his collar towards the large house, where his brother would do something with the bastard...unless Izuna found this judgment insufficient, and in which case he'd revolt and override his aniki.

Had a healer he found in the woods really done this to him? Driven forth by the need to protect the delicate cherry blossom?

Scare years into his childhood, he'd shut off the pain and sorrow associated with his duties as a shinobi, and not long after the feelings for others. Shinobi don't cry, he distantly recalled his father and brother saying.

Yet here he was, dragging the man who tried to rape the girl he found in the forest with such ferocity that the thread dug into the fragile skin on his throat. And for what? His awe of her beauty, skill, and uniqueness. No, their must be an underlying reason.

Yori had garnered enough sense to shut up his pleas, giving into whatever punishment he faced.

Madara sat in his office again reading a scroll when Izuna walked in with the criminal. Without looking up, his aniki asked, "Satisfied?"

"Don't be facetious, aniki. What will we do with him?" He personally wanted Yori dead, but knew Madara would disagree. Yori was useful as a number, cannon fodder if necessary.

Madara placed the scroll down gently and observed the man. This was a complicated matter for him, Izuna was sure. His responsibility as the leader of the clan, the loyalty to his brother, and the small moral compass he possessed were all weighing in his decision. "I had Izumi politely ask our guest what she'd do with him."

Well, he supposed that was a reasonable compromise. Surely she wouldn't let him get off with a mere lecture.

"Speak of the devil and she shall arrive...and the verdict?"

The three, especially the one on this impromptu trial waited in anticipation. Izumi-sama in a rare moment looked puzzled and dazed, so Izuna assumed that the uncommon answer was given; spare him. Was Sakura-san so forgiving? He supposed he would grant her that, if she wished. But Yori was likely to end up in 'accident' if that happened.

"...his eyes."

They all stopped in surprise. And it appeared the messenger was just as shocked by the answer as them. The four Uchiha tried to digest this. That's what she considered most dangerous?

It was Madara of course who awoke from the haze first and broke the silence. "What?"

"I asked Sakura-chan what she'd take from him as a reparation... She said his eyes."

Seemingly unfazed Izuna swiftly grabbed a kunai out of his weapon pouch and lined it up with the now trembling Yori's right eye, pulled his arm back and-

"Wait," Madara ordered calmly. Gouging them out would be messy, and cruelly painful, but so would any other method. Taking his sight, taking an Uchiha's eyes? Now that was a punishment more severe than death to the clan. Who were they without their eyes?

A scoff followed suit." I refuse. The last person she wants to see is _him," _she spat.

"Go!" Madara knew the kunoichi didn't want to see him, but the impression that said he cared was false. Surely that furious stance towards him, when she could stomach being in the same room as him, challenge him...she could handle this.

The little blossom would take Yori's eyes? Fine, but then she must do it herself.

A reluctant Izumi returned with the confused pinkette, who at the sight of the scene—Yori on his knees and Izuna wielding a kunai at his eye—paled a sickly celadon green. She walked into the office weary, as if it was some dream.

"Take his eyes yourself." They were Uchiha, pride solely resting in their eyes. So, it would be difficult for Madara to stomach taking another's, knowing from personal experience how valued the kekkei genkei and eyes were. The younger diligent brother handed her the kunai.

For a long while, she stood with the weapon in her shaky grasp, just as shaky as the repenting man in front of her. Sakura signed, gave the man a look of contempt, and dropped the kunai to make a clang.

A mixture of protest and questions sounded, until Sakura leaned forward and placed her thumbs on Yori's eyelids, shut them, and flared her chakra to them.

Yori's breath caught in anticipation, but gave no indication he was in pain. What was she doing?

Less than a minute later, Sakura removed her hands from his face as if it was scalding hot iron. Yori opened his eyes slowly, in fear of whatever vision, or lack of, he'd have. But to his surprise, he could see just as efficient as seconds prior.

The pinkette's hands continued to tremble. In her seeing him, did Sakura plan on killing him, then have second thoughts of him?

Izuna knew that Madara having asked her to do this had pushed the woman too far. Delicate Sakura-san was too emotionally unstable, and likely too innocent.

Sakura lunged forward and gripped the mans head to pull it down and strike it against the wooden floor. Her chakra behind the strength of her hands, the floor split and splintered in directions. But the assault continued. The angry, controlled by rage medic pulled his head up quickly again before slamming it against the concrete foundation.

Sakura stopped suddenly, seeing unconscious Yori bloody and bruised all over. He'd have to be treated in the medical ward where Sakura was set to work for the contusions she'd just given him. Kana would get the 'pleasure' of treating him.

Why did Madara always have to be such a bastard? Forced to face the man that attacked her mere hours earlier, Sakura could not stop the inundation of anger and vengeance from moving her forward to hurt him.

There was no such thing as mercy in that moment, impossible to endure that pain. Naruto might have endured the pain of Jiraiya-sama's death, but this feat was easier said than done, as Sakura knew now. Did that make her a monster? Akin to the kind Sasuke had morphed into?

Unable to see the looks on Izuna's and Izumi's faces as the reflection of her twisted character, Sakura walked out the office to the rest of her sleepless night.

"All she did was rough him up a little?" Izumi nudged Yori's unconscious head with her foot. "You should be blind right now! Consider yourself lucky."

Lucky? During the aggressive and violent outburst, Madara hadn't known what to expect from little miss full of surprises. By instinct and involuntary actions, Madara's sharingan flared to life. And then he saw it. Six tenketsu on isolated paths leading to the eyes were no longer releasing chakra, as they should even in a state of rest. The pathways were pinched together, as well, which would constrict the flow of the isolated path if the tenketsu had been generating chakra at all.

_"...his eyes." _

_Now_ he saw why his brother was so interested. A rare, powerful gem, and all for the taking.

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><p>Clarifying points:<p>

Ambiguous ending...well, sort of. Sakura used chakra to bind walls of the pathways together near the eyes (if you look at a picture of the network, you'll see an isolated loop near the eyes with three points on each.) Of course, that means that Sakura took his eyes, his sharingan, since the chakra can no longer flow in this area. How did she do that? On a calculated guess that it'd work.

Additionally, the attitudes towards revenge were setup here, if you caught that. Beforehand, Sakura has never experienced what its like to lose what she loves, or experienced true 'pain' (love that arc :) And that was continually referenced in the manga that Sakura didn't understand Sasuke and Naruto as well as they did each other. Through this, Sakura gets her first taste of why it's so difficult to resist the temptation of revenge.

If you could accidentally hit review and accidentally press your keyboard, that'd be great.


	7. Irrational

Filler Alert!

I apologize for not updating last Sunday, but I've been extremely busy these past few weeks, and then my car was broken into the other day. I had promised to release the actual next chapter, but I consider this more of an interlude. It is ambiguous and confusing for a reason, but there are clues as to who the first portion is referring to. Anything written in **bold** without quotation marks _is_ dialogue...sort of.

Thank for the favorites and follows.

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><p>The night was dark, the clouds decayed to gray and all around the sound lie dead. The boughs of the ancient cracked hunks of trees groaned against a gale of chilled mountain air from the east. The night dwellers burrowed under the ground into their crawl spaces. From the shadows looming over the settlement did a dark figure gracefully creep up to the ill lying painfully asleep. All accept one. His injuries filled the air with a sick metallic aroma of rich iron, the dark figure leaning his head to the side in wonder at the smell. The man lied awake, too wrought with aches of his ripe wounds and shaking too hard at the overwhelming dark in his clouded mind and in the clouded world. What had happened to him? The lines blurred, the memories fallen into a black tar that would forever hold them, no matter how hard he pulled.<p>

A color he could recall: pink. Was it a woman in these vague memories? Yes, that muffled voice had a feminine quality. As he pulled the memories from the thick swamp, it gave and the memories flooded him. And he felt guilty?

The shadowy figure asked, **is that what you've become? Nothing but a shivering lump? You're **_**weak. All this over a little girl!**  
><em>

Too inebriated by the trauma inflicted on his person, the man produced little reaction. In a trance he shook his head and released one grunt in disapproval of the statement.

Beyond the shadows, glistening sharp white teeth lit up the room by a crooked snarl. **And you're just going to lay down and take that?** The figure goaded the man.

The game was easy, after having such a long time to master the technique that few had recognized. Easy targets were they so spoiled by positive emotions that they were vulnerable to darkness. Overtime he had learned that they all could be swept up in his onslaught given the correct motivation.

Strip one of weakness, and he is indestructible. Strip him of his heart, and he cannot empathize. But these were all lies. _Exploit_ his weakness, so that he may be hurt. Leave the heart intact for therein lies the key to true ruthlessness. A desperate act had always been created out of a deep love.

Before it had been so easy. A little prodding, a little push, and like a spark it would set them ablaze where the flames would spread. Never had he expected to encounter such interesting individuals who could remain on fire and sit still, to not spread it.

The little brat had done it, but it was too late. And for his foolishness he paid the price of death instead of assimilation. Now a new little brat was in his way, obviously aware of his presence yet blissfully unaware. How easy would it be to appear in her room and snap the little fly between his jaws...

But the little fly was too entertaining for now. "No. No...I shouldn't have done that. I-" The shadow had him stop talking.

**After what she did to you? After what she did to your eyes?** He would have laughed if not for the risk of waking the other ill. The baiting was his favorite part of the hunt.

Yori opened his eyes now to stare at the ceiling. "My...eyes?" Forgetting the events, he reached up to touch his sore eyes and sighed in relief to feel them intact. But the feeling kept creeping up, pushing him. **_Your _real_ eyes_**, it whispered. Nervous at this, Yori focused what little chakra he could command in his intoxicated state to his eyes. It didn't come, at first. But after a few seconds , the chakra in the area flared.

He shrunk back in his bed clutching his face in agony. This time, a squeal wretched its way from his chest and sounded though a great deal of the compound. "My...my eyes!" He stopped trying to activate his kekkei genkei, but the pain did not disperse. A warm liquid dripped down from his eye sockets, and the skin surrounding his eyes became inflamed.

The wails jolted the others awake, who panicked at the sight. No one was there but the man holding his face in pain. What was he screaming at?

Looming in the corner's shadows, the figure smiled. No, it was still easy. If fate were to have it this way, then who was he to argue? It might as well be amusing, right?

Yori had run his course for amusing with his Sharingan having been taken. Perhaps he could snap his neck? Hm, no. That would just be boring if the girl was blamed for Yori's death.

Silently he left the room, everything a buzz but everything still lying dead. Into the lifeless room he went and saw the young girl still in the bed. Too still. Her chest scarcely moved, and the breathing uneven. Did she detect him? No, that was impossible. Moving closer, his presence danced across the room to crouch right in front of her face. Ah, there was the issue. Her eyes wide open and tears streaming down her face, she was awake. Silent sobs came in fragments. Was she too caught up or were his stealth skills so great?

_**You don't belong here. They're all dead, and you should be with them.** _Now an audible sniffle came from her mouth, and the small drizzle of tears that fell turned into a pouring shower.

Had he pushed her too far? The intention had not been to break the poor child, just to play. A pest? Why yes, she was. But to kill her now would simply be a waste. Nothing would stop him, and reality was on track for nothing but its fate.

So why not play with his food?

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><p>By the time the sunlight broke through the cloudy haze, the whole village had heard of the Yori's...predicament. Well, they didn't know the circumstances surrounding any of the <em>other events<em> because of a seal that somehow ended up on Yori's tongue placed by a certain someone...Normally the Uchiha didn't care about the drama in the settlement, but this was something else. The sharingan taken without the accompanying blindness. The children run amok outside the healing ward trying to wander into it and see the mysterious injury so they could run and tell their parents. Kana had had enough and finally went outside to shoo them away.

Izuna had to admit that he was curious as well. After Sakura had displayed such a show of raw strength last night, certainly Yori's loss could be attributed to her actions. Had they combined caused too much damage? They were too much for the older man to handle it seemed. When he walked into the infirmary to see Kana still treating the man, he was somewhat pleased. Yori's face was covered in dried up blood trails stemming from his eyes.

"I'm telling you Kana, I barely remember what happened at all yesterday. No, I don't why this happened." Glancing over Kana's shoulder to gaze at Izuna, Yori flinched. Looking back towards the healer, "Isn't there something you can do? If I can't use my sharingan..." The consequences of this went unspoken. It was practically unheard of. Those that couldn't manifest the sharingan in the first place were often shunned for their inability, but for one to suddenly lose their birthright in a ripe age was likely beyond humiliating. Yori was now the junior among his clansmen, and his presence a burden should he have continued his shinobi work. The focal point in their repertoire was their dojustu. Since they had not perfected anything else, Yori would be weak. "Please, I'll do anything." An empathetic tingle surged through Izuna who could not conjure the nightmare of him in Yori's place. If this was Sakura's work, she'd been anything but merciful.

Kana sighed. "Let me take a look..." Wishing to see as well, Izuna stood slightly behind Kana who did not recognize his presence. She held her palms a light with chakra to his battered and bruised face. To Izuna's displeasure, the colored blotches slowly faded into warm pinkish spots. "Well, I can't see anything using my chakra. It feels as though I'm being blocked." She shifted her feet and stared at him now. A small gasp elicited from Kana. "I...can't believe it!" With that, she moved closer and grabbed his head.

While Yori squirmed under the woman's invasion of space, Izuna's eyes color swirled to red and black. He couldn't believe it either.

This was absolutely Sakura's work.

He knew he should be concerned. In a way, Yori had been right about Sakura being a threat to the clan, especially now that it was proven to be a dangerous subtlety. He knew he should be disturbed. Yori could never use his dojutsu again if Kana could not repair his pathways. But, all he could feel was a sense of awe. What a woman! Izuna had assumed he well mannered enough to not care about the level of skills she possessed, but here he was floored with an animalistic desire for the delicate flower with quite a few precise thorns ready to prick.

That action had set her place among them, they couldn't kick her out—not now. The Uchiha would not send someone away that could foil them. In fact, they would demand she stay. Certainly his brother wouldn't let such an asset out of their clutches.

But what about the wolves that lurked behind inside desolate prison? Was he selfish for wanting her to stay? The viscous scavengers would pick, peck, and tear her apart given the chance. Those whispers and vulgar words said behind their backs he had long tried to ignore. It was understandable, to some extent. But now they grew fainter and sharper. Izuna couldn't believe how much an woman he barely knew was making him...hateful of his entire clan. How ridiculous to light his soul afire for her, to make a shrine for this woman. But it just felt so right...This irrational love.

Yet wasn't the most passionate love always irrational?

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><p>For two days, Sakura did not go outside the house despite the insistence of her caregiver. After having lost control, Sakura had lost sight of everything that made her...her. Through the tunnel vision, she could only hear the bones snap as they did below her feet and against her fists. She could only see the blood spill out of his neck. When Izuna had given her the kunai, though, she lost whatever brace held up her backbone. His eyes needed to be taken, but not in such a painful way...But when the disgust found its way back, in front of them, she couldn't stop herself from wanting to crush his skull between her palms into a fine dust. When the hard bone had cracked the floor, it gave a horrid satisfaction that was jarring.<p>

How could she face them now? Were the Uchiha right about her?

Unwilling to shut her in and leave Sakura alone with the self-destructive emotions, Izumi often sat with Sakura in her room for lengths of time, telling her stories of people in the settlement. One was about a little boy burning down the entire west sector of the compound. Or of a girl having given the entire clan a bouquet of flowers each...along with poison ivy.

"Everyone was itching for weeks, even when it went away! Tajima never let the poor child out of the gates again until she began her work as a kunoichi."

Many years were woven into these stories, about the recent history of the clan and other clans as well. Nothing had really changed in the history books compared to the live version Sakura heard now, except the liveliness in which the stories were told. The variety of stories even included young Madara and Izuna. A dangerous glint accompanied these stories at the expense of the now older men. Everyone was funny as a kid. Sakura heard the story of Izuna giving his brother a shabby haircut while he slept. Hearing the brother's reaction got Sakura to crack a smile, then later stories causing her to laugh heartily until she was gasping for breath and her face colored a warm pink.

Later that day, Izuna had asked to see her. Izumi shuffled her though the outskirts of the settlement, Sakura assuming Izumi thought her still not ready to face the rest of them. And she wasn't. In fact, she wasn't sure if she was ready to face Izuna yet either. The world was a cold cruel place that made one want to curl up in blankets and stay in bed all day. Sakura figured she would brace this while she still had the positive energy to do so.

Izumi protested this, citing Izuna's rash behavior the other night as evidence that even if he was well intentioned, he was unpredictable when it came to her." Whatever reason that boy has to try and defend your honor is beyond me. He barely even knows you," she expressed before quickly adding, "not that you aren't a charming woman Sakura-chan, it's just Izuna has never acted that way before to one of our relatives... It surprised me."

"I'll be fine, I'm already feeling better," the young medic-nin lied to Izumi as they stopped before the rose garden. The calculating face didn't disappear, but she wished Sakura luck and warned her to come back quickly should she need help. This was Izuna they were talking about, but the gesture was sweat nonetheless.

When the old Uchiha woman told her what Izuna had done, the kunoichi couldn't believe it. If his feelings for her were unclear before, now they were like a summer day.

But why? What interest had Uchiha Izuna taken in her to care for her and protect her, to 'fight for her honor?' Little more than a week had passed since their first meeting and yet he already felt feelings for her. Why? Was that not irrational?

Then again, a lot of people had called Sakura's love for Sasuke irrational. By looking back on it, Sakura recognized how irrational it was for her to love someone who treated her coldly and had tried to kill her...but that didn't stop the fluttering of her heart at this name. No matter what, that bubbly sick emotion towards him would always stick. For Izuna to like her so quickly and deeply flattered her, but Sakura could not yet return those feelings to that extent. Not when she felt so broken and frightened of everyone; she was even afraid of herself.

The two so blinded by the best in each other stood silent in the afternoon light, unwilling to share their fears. Sakura enjoyed the tranquility, but the questions burned in her throat. What would they do with her now that he and Madara knew of Sakura's alteration of Yori's chakra system? Is that why he asked to see her out in the rose garden, to kill her? _Good luck with that! I've had enough of everyone in this damn clan!_

Even though they weren't looking at each other, they didn't need to. Sakura could feel the sad emotions running off of him. What was she to do now, after she left the clan's lands? The scroll was still in Madara's possession and more likely to be guarded by now. If they were going to kick her out—

"Please reconsider before you leave." Ah, so it was true then? At least there wouldn't be an altercation. "People don't wish to see you go," he added softly.

Without moving a muscle, "What? Who? The women that call me a whore? The children that make jokes in front of my face knowing damn well that I can't do anything back? The men that try to rape me! No one wants me here, and if that's how they feel Uchiha-san, then I will take my leave. Izumi and Kana pity me! Your brother wants to play mind games and I...!" She looked up to see his face composed. Everything she'd said was beyond disrespectful. Even if the rest of the clan hated her, Izuna had been nothing but kind to her. He'd almost killed a member of his clan for her.

All she had to offer in return was yelling. That he didn't even scold her made it worse. The silence found its way between them again, making Sakura uncomfortable. Maybe she should leave. What was she even doing here anyway? This wasn't worth it, was it? _I don't belong here. Everyone I'm fighting for is dead. The rest of my life will be spent in this backwater time, with no one to call my family and no place to call my home._

"I want you here." This, she knew. It was nice to hear, though. Was that enough, for one person to want her here? The memory of little blonde boy walking alone through the streets of Konoha, everyone giving him deathly glares and whispering about a demon. The little boy crying on his arm. That same little boy pulling pranks on the Sandaime while laughing...The same little kid receiving applause when he'd beaten Neji. And then a young man, being welcomed by his whole village after his battle with Pein.

Naruto had never been accepted by anyone in the village for years, besides the Sandaime. Yet here Sakura was, whining about none of them liking here after a week. While none of the villagers ever tried to do...that to him, he'd persisted throughout the years knowing that Konohagakure was his home because the Hokage had cared for him. There was no use complaining.

"I want to be here." _I don't belong here, yet._

"Then stay." Izuna turned to her and stepped close enough to gently place his hand on her face. Izuna leaned his face into hers, but Sakura could see nothing but the older Uchiha doing the same with an aggressive zeal. She lightly pushed his chest away and instead threw her arms behind his back, hiding her startled face mixed with horror in his shirt. A hug, she could handle.

Something gripped her arm and pulled her from his embrace, though. "There you are, Sakura! I've been looking all over for you. Kana's been a little backed up in the infirmary today, and she needs you. Let's go!" Izumi pulled the girl along the gates of the compound.

Still bewildered at this, but thankfully relieved at the interruption, Sakura inquired," What happen? How many were injured that she's actually asking for my help?"

Izumi snorted. "Our men have been getting ambushed by the Hyuuga lately for _some reason._ Kana asked for your assistance tomorrow, but I figured you weren't eager to have your personal space invaded today." Or tomorrow, or the next day...maybe not for a while.

"I'm sure the mother of the little boy whose life you saved wants you here too..." So she'd been listening to the entire conversation? Had she even left the garden? How did she ever conjure the idea that Izumi pitied her? Wasn't that enough of a reason to stay, knowing that this woman cared for her like a grandchild or daughter?

Yet locking herself in her room would be no way to start off a new life, she needed to find a way to integrate herself into the society. Izumi had tasks to do as a member of the clan's council. Sakura pulled against her grip, stopping the woman from dragging her further. Said woman shot the kunoichi an irritated. "Actually, I want to work in the infirmary, if you don't mind..."

Izumi continued starring, before shrugging and pulling her along to the healing ward. When they arrived, it was busier than usual but with only Kana and one of her apprentices on staff. "Kana!"

Everyone jumped at the sudden shrieking, accept the head medic. "What?" Kana, bent over an open chest wound, shouted back.

Izumi pushed Sakura forward. "Give her something to do!" Finding the rare will, she smiled at Sakura. "Have fun."

As the door slammed, Kana looked up at the pinkette. She was reluctant to have this girl working in the ward originally, and despite the 'medical miracles' she'd performed, Kana still did not trust her with _her_ job, let alone lives. Having examined Yori's eyes the day prior, the experienced healer knew that the permanent reconstruction of the pathways had been this child's handiwork. Later that day, she'd asked her mother, the know all of the clan as to why it happen. Izumi had been tight lipped about it, trying to respect privacy.

But in this morning, her mother arrived in the infirmary and told her the entire story. Kana realized quickly that the girl would need to take her mind off the encounter, and since her mother had asked this favor of her...

Looking back down, Kana pointed over to a young man sitting in the corner. "Help him, please."

If her mother could like this girl, then she could learn to as well.


	8. Subtle

It's been a while since I've updated, so I'm sorry! I'm not dead. Thanks for the follows and favorites. My reviewers: Mani nova, 01Trycia-chan01, Stunning Sunset, LChan 3706, LilithiaRW, Sakura Hatsu, Guest, angel897, LilithiaRW, HaPPy2901, Guest, PrettyChelsea (x2,) and Guest, thank you! I'm sorry if I missed anyone.

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><p>A daily routine had begun for Sakura. At least now she woke up every morning, ate quickly and then headed to the healing ward. Kana continued to greet her with a lukewarm reception in the form of a nod. Ever since Sakura had been permitted to work as a healer for the clan, she'd spent the majority of her time in the infirmary or in the proximity of the settlement gathering medicinal herbs. Kana began to appreciate the young kunoichi in her own way, giving her critically injured patients on occasion, and even giving Sakura a pair of pants matching her measurements saying that she need to be prepared to work in 'intense conditions' should the need arise: that is, if the clan was ever to be attacked, they could easily force Sakura to defend it. Or try to.<p>

One day after arriving at the infirmary, Sakura immediately began to work on the ill and critically injured. They at first said nothing, while she treated them, but managed to make small talk after a few minutes. Not yet friends, but no longer enemies either. The days passed faster, the whispers growing fewer and quieter.

Izumi-sama informed her during her break one day that she was to have dinner with the Uchiha brothers that night. She'd likely forced Madara to invite her after the kunoichi revealed she felt ostracized, and Madara likely bored enough to be entertained by her. Nonetheless, Sakura was not all that eager to go either. She hadn't seen Yori at the gates anymore. What happened to him? Obviously he couldn't work too much anymore without his eyes, but she hadn't expected him to stop his shinobi work completely.

"Alright, now," she admonished the beaming child whose arm was now set in a cast," don't use that arm for a while. I don't want to see you in here again, got it?"

Whether he hadn't heard or simply chose to ignore the warning, the blushing boy smacked his fist against his palm while cringing in the process and bowed. "You have my word, healer-sama!" She heard her name tossed around more often after she began working in the infirmary, but it seemed she'd just been dubbed healer. While this normally might have irritated her, it showed they acknowledged her skills and profession.

Sakura's eyes narrowed and sarcastically added," He must be wonderful at climbing trees."

The mother cradled her sullen face at this. "Oh he's a wonderful climber, he just can't get down. This is the second time we've had to come in here," she growled at her son that cowered behind Sakura. "Thank you so much, healer-san...we'll probably be back." She sweat dropped, picked up the unruly brat, and left before he could break something else.

"Healer-san, eh?" Sakura sighed. Let the games begin. Madara sat down in front the pinkette, his shirt off in display of a large, wide cut on his bicep. The smug face was back. "According to some, you have the magic touch, and since I have a wound...well, I think you know where this is going." He motioned to the injury. He didn't ask, just motioned. Oh, he was having too much fun with this.

"Of course, Uchiha-sama," she replied. Judging by the depth of the incision, it was somewhat severe, but likely not for Madara. The 'savior' was only here to irritate her. The cut was clean and smooth, most likely done by a sword, and cut through the skin and fatty tissue to rip open some of the muscles. But the bicep and the delotid which had been partially cut were thick muscle layers, especially on someone as toned. It would be necessary to heal him with chakra, and perhaps sutures.

She lightly and begrudgingly placed her hands over the wound and sealed the muscle layer with her chakra, becoming aware exactly how well toned his body was. His skin was warm and smooth, sculpted from years of training and hard fought wars. Scars were not abundant as she would expect from a shinobi who had seen so many battles, but that just attested to how gifted of a shinobi Madara was. He couldn't be touched. A deep low chuckle drew her back from the observations. "For someone that claims to be from a peaceful settlement, you cause a lot of trouble."

Hearing this, Sakura stiffened. Please, don't bring that up. "Some of us just live for conflict, don't we?" Like he was to talk of trouble making, always eager to fight with Shodai-sama. "Is that how you got this?" She poked the now smaller cut and twisted her finger in while hoping it stung a little. "Causing trouble?"

A thought passed as she wondered if she'd gone too far, but he indulged her. "So, my reputation has spread far into the free states as well? I don't engage in battles simply for the sake of entertainment." Sakura mentally snorted. Yeah, right. "No, it is just the nature of the lives of Shinobi. You should know," he added when their eyes made contact as if it was an inside joke between them.

"It doesn't have to be that way, though. People don't have to die. I've seen unusual things in my few years."

"I imagine you have."

She stopped the flow of chakra into his system, satisfied that the muscle layer had shut. The wound had shrunk enough where sutures would be unnecessary, thank God. The finesse require to stitch him would likely fail Sakura in close proximity to his ghastly presence and admittedly distracting attractiveness.

They continued in silence for a few minutes, Madara imaging just what anomalies the pink child had seen. The influx of chakra his wound was receiving was soothing as opposed to the fiery, prickly chakra of the local healer. Moments during the treatment he would close his eyes and focus on the feeling. Of course, he'd never let her catch him doing that. He could see why the young children had flocked to her so easily in the past few days, the chakra was a comfort, _trusting_.

Satisfied that the wound had closed, Sakura backed away and managed another sickly sweet smile. "There you go."

He observed her work; there was little evidence he'd been injured. Well, injured wasn't the right word. Madara had purposely let Izuna cut him during their spar, intending to go to the medical ward for such a small cut.

He walked past her, stopping next to her for a small second. "Don't be late," Madara said sotto voce.

Awkward silence would be better than mundane nonsense with Izuna during dinner. It was just the young brother and Sakura in the conversation it seemed, with Madara content on watching every move she made or meticulously listening to all her replies. Izuna had tried to involve his brother in their small talk, but his replies were curt and an obvious

Finally an opportunity came as Madara finally direct a question toward her. "This 'crazy' man you mentioned, why did he attack your home town? You never specified, and he must have had some motivation to annihilate the entire population." He knew most of her story was sham, Sakura assumed. It was likely entertaining to see what she could come up with. Like, had she travelled through time?

Sakura stuck with half truths. "Tobi, as he called himself, was once an important component to the village. You see, my village could be easily divided in half between those that came from one region and those that came from another. The two sides opposed each other's ideals, but had stopped killing each other after the town's consolidation. In exchange for this bloody war came a new strife: politics. Each side wanted power to oversee the village. When his group had lost this power struggle, Tobi was betrayed by his followers as they tried to assimilate into the Se—other culture." Sakura had to be careful, here. While she didn't know exactly what drove Madara to insanity, it must have partially been for that reason. "Tobi devised this absurd idea that he would cast a jutsu to put everyone inside a dream world where they would get everything they desired; a plan for 'true peace.'"

Izuna stopped eating. "How is that true peace? A dream world that gives one their heart's desire only facilitates the reality in which we're all equal; a reality where everyone gets what they want. But that's not what peace means."

Sakura frowned. What else what it be than everyone is happy? "What do you mean?"

Izuna nonchalantly shrugged." Peace means to be satisfied with what you're given, because everyone being equal is impossible. There must always be winners and losers. It is human nature to get ahead. It's nature to be self-involved "

This hasn't been the response she's expected from Izuna. The gentle personality Sakura had seen from him had led her to believe that his opinion was more optimistic than Madara's. But at least Madara fancied to call a truce between him and his enemies. "My friend believed that if everyone could understand each other that it would result in the end of the bloody conflict. I still believe that. If we can forget the pain that others have caused us, and realize that everyone's feelings are as important as our own then we can stop fighting. If my brother died and so did my enemy's, then I could understand that pain."

Izuna's eyes flicked up from his meals to Sakura's, a dangerous black gleam in them. "Some sins cannot be forgotten."

Sakura vehemently rebuffed this as her voice rose, angery at this stuborn close mindedness that Izuna held. Where was the man that said it would be a 'waste' for her to die? Was it a waste because she was beautiful and powerful to them? "They can! If my entire village can be razed in the blink of an eye and I can forgive then so can anyone else! All it takes is endurance."

The room was tense, but Madara was probably entertained by their banter while the single server stood uncomfortable by the door.

So much like his older brother from her time, Izuna brushed off her opinion. "That is a naive ideology. One that is at a disadvantage will not forget that those above him are oppressing him, hurting him, using him as a human target in their actions. This world is not fair; this world will never be peaceful. Survival of the fittest, and that will never change." Izuna turned his attention back to his food, probably hoping to dissolve the tense mood in the room. It was clear they didn't agree. A nice looking apple that tastes like shit can still come from a bad orchard.

So it surprised her when Madara spoke softly to Izuna. "Actually, natural selection says that those who can easily change and adapt will survive. The world is always changing."

In a sudden movement Izuna stood up and turned to his brother. "Our brothers are already deep in the ground, now you want me to push them deep into the recesses of my mind too? I'm not going to forget those that have wronged us!" Where did that come from?

The younger brother glanced at Sakura at the corner of his eye. They'd been careful to avoid telling her too much, just in case. But now he didn't care. "Just because Hashirama Senju wants to mend the bonds between our clans does not mean that all the Senju feel that way. They'd stab us given the chance! You're foolish to think otherwise."

Now Madara's stoic face morphed into an angry glare. "Izuna..."

Oh, shit. Too far. Sakura stood then as well, bowing quickly before making her way to the exit. "I'll just excuse myself. Thank you for the meal, Uchiha-sama." Once outside the door, Sakura briskly walked down the long hall towards her room.

She plopped down on the bed when she'd arrived in her room. That hadn't gone as well as Sakura hoped. _I guessed that Izuna would agree with me, that our conversation would push Madara to sign a treaty with the Senju. __Now I see that it couldn't have been that easy. _A few words wouldn't erase the entire history between the Uchiha and the Senju. _Maybe Naruto could._ _Think Sakura! What would drive Madara to such a drastic move at that? Something life changing...Izuna? Did something happen to Izuna?_

Something would have made Izuna change his mind about the Uchiha's relationship with the Senju, otherwise Madara would never have went along with Hashirama's plan. Besides, Izuna couldn't have felt that strongly about the subject. He would never yell at her, right? "This has to be Black Zetsu's doing..." If she could just reverse Zetsu's manipulation of the Uchihas...

_**Oh, who am I kidding? How am I supposed to change the past and make sure the future stays relatively the same if I have no idea of the events that took place originally? I'm just a stupid, ugly Kunoichi trying to take on a job that only my dead friend could do, and I could never-**_

Sakura smirked and looked up from her lap. "I know that's you, Zetsu. Trying to manipulate my thoughts? Good luck, I can see your work a mile a way, I know your game. You're nothing but an insect that I'm going to crush under my boot."

She could hear that almost demonic laugh echo in her thoughts. "** You've only just noticed me?" **Damn it, how long had he been here? **"Everything I've said is true, though. You're in over your head. Watch out, you never know what lurks through the night, Haruno Sakura."**

Feeling the air warm up, Sakura sighed. How the hell did this time's Zetsu know her? What she was here to do? Whatever the case, he likely knew something of the scroll, and he definitely knew something of the past. Her only choice was to find out some information from him.

Reflecting on the dinner, she supposed it had been a mistake to mention a dead brother on a calculated guess that Izuna might resonate with it. One of her only friends would never yell at her, right?

* * *

><p>Hm, was Izuna's outburst due to Zetsu's manipulation? How will Sakura get the information she needs? How does Zetsu remember Sakura, or should I say know? Did he travel with Sakura? Why is this chapter so short? When the hell will Mito arrive?!<p>

We will actually see Mito Uzumaki in the next chapter.

Thanks for being patient! Hopefully I'll be able to get back on my update schedule. Hope the holidays were great for everyone.

Until next time,

SOS.


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